Box Score May 15, 2010
Box Score
Arlington, Va. -
Entering the weekend on the outside looking in at the playoffs, one Fordham junior wanted to make sure he did all he could to help the Rams' playoff chances. That junior is Chris Walker who, after going 3-for-5 in yesterday`s win, was 5-for-5 today, including two home runs and five RBI, to lead Fordham to a 12-8 Atlantic 10 win over Gorge Washington at Barcroft Park.
With the win, Fordham improves to 13-10 in the Atlantic 10, 19-31 overall, while Gorge Washington falls to 12-11 in the conference, 24-26 overall. The 13-10 record places the Rams in a fourth place tie with Saint Joseph's in the conference, one game behind Xavier.
Besides the two round-trippers for Walker, one of his other hits was a fourth inning double, his 22nd two-bagger of the year. With that double, Walker surpassed Mike Marchiano's 1997 school record of 21 in a season. He also is only the fourth player in school history to hit 20 doubles in a year.
Walker's five RBI brings his season total to 52 on the year, bringing him to fifth place on the Fordham single season RBI list, one behind John Mollicone (2007) for fourth place.
Fordham thought it was going to be tough going offensively as Eric Cantrell got the start on the mound for George Washington. He entered the game leading the Atlantic 10 in ERA (3.16) and was tied for the league lead in wins (8). But the Rams got to him early, scoring two in the top of the first. With one out in the Fordham first, Nick Martinez walked and stole second. One out later, Walker sent a ball deep down the left field line for his team-leading fifth home run of the year.
But the Colonials jumped on Fordham starter J.P. Mack for five runs in the bottom of the first. Tom Zebroski opened the inning with a single and Paul Pakan followed with a home run to left center to tie the game at two. Chris Luick walked and, one out later, Brendon Kelliher singled to put runners on first and second. Jon Chirumbolo then sent one over the left field fence to put George Washington up, 5-2.
The Colonials made it a 6-2 game when Zebroski led off the second with a solo home run, but the Rams got two back in the third on back-to-back solo home runs from Ryan McCrann and Walker to cut the deficit to 6-4. It was McCrann's fifth home run of the year while Walker connected on his second of the game and sixth of the year.
Fordham then got to Cantrell for five runs in the fourth to take a 9-6 lead. Stephen McSherry opened the frame getting hit by a pitch and Brian Kownacki singled him to second. A ground ball from Michael Taddei forced McSherry at third but Ryan Maghini reached on an infield single to load the bases. Ryan Lee then plated Kownacki with a single and Martinez brought in another run to knot the game at six when he reached on a fielder's choice, After Martinez stole second, McCrann plated both runners with a double to right center. After McCrann swiped third, Walker hit his record-setting double to deliver McCrann and put the Rams up, 9-6.
George Washington made it a 9-7 game on a Kelliher solo home run in the bottom of the fifth but the Rams picked up three runs in the top of the eighth to take a commanding 12-7 lead. Maghini started the eighth-inning rally with an infield single and Lee advanced him to second with a single to left center. Martinez loaded the bases when his sacrifice bunt was misplayed and, one out later, Walker came through again, singling in Maghini with Lee and Martinez also scoring on the play when the ball was misplayed by the George Washington right fielder.
A Zebroski solo home run to lead off the bottom of the ninth made it a 12-8 game but Jordan Grangard, who came on in relief of Mack in the fifth inning, got Pakan to foul out before Luick reached on an error. He then fanned Holland and got Kelliher to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game.
Grangard (1-2) threw four and one-third innings of one-hit ball, allowing just one run while striking out two and walking none, to earn the win, his first of the year.
Contributing to the offense along with Walker was Maghini who was 3-for-5 with two runs while Lee was 3-for-6 and McCrann finished the day with two hits and three RBI.
The two teams will close out the three-game Atlantic 10 series on Sunday at 2:00 PM at Barcroft Park.
