Box Score May 8, 2010
Box Score
Camden, N.J. -
Falling short of a comeback win on Friday, the Fordham offense took no chances in their Saturday morning showdown with the Saint Joseph's Hawks. Fordham set season-highs with 19 runs scored and 23 hits, led by Chris Walker's two-home run day and Ryan McCrann's 4-for-4 performance, as the Rams evened their series with the Hawks with a 19-3 win at Campbell's Field in Camden, N.J.
With the win, Fordham moves to 17-30 on the season, 11-9 in the Atlantic 10, while Saint Joseph's drops to 17-23 overall, 12-8 in league play.
Just like Friday, Fordham did most of their damage with two outs in an inning, which again got started with Chris Walker at the plate. After a Ryan McCrann walk in the first, Walker hit his second home run of the series to right, his third overall, to give Fordham a 2-0 lead.
After the Hawks knotted the game at two on an RBI-ground out and an RBI-infield single, Fordham regained the lead in the second at 5-2 with a three-run outburst. With two outs, P.J. Como reached on a throwing error and moved to second on a single by Ryan Maghini. Nick Martinez was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for Brian Kownacki. Kownacki came through with a two-run single through the left side, scoring Como and Maghini. McCrann followed with an RBI-single of his own to score Martinez from third.
The Rams extended the lead to 7-2 in the fourth inning, as Walker hit his second two-run home run of the game, scoring McCrann, who had singled with two outs.
Fordham finally scored a run without a two-out rally in the series in the fifth, as Maghini reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and scored on a Martinez single with one out, giving Fordham an 8-2 lead.
After each team scored a run in the seventh to make it a 9-3 game, Fordham broke the game opened with an eight-run eighth inning to take a 17-3 lead. Saint Joseph's reliever Doug DiSandro opened the frame by walking the bases loaded and was quickly taken out of the game in favor of Kevin Burum. Mike Mobbs then greeted Burum with a bases clearing double down the left field line.
Stephen McSherry continued the offensive barrage with a two-run home run to right, his second of the season. After the Hawks final got a pair of outs, Martinez kept the rally going with a triple to right center, scoring on a single by Kownacki. McCrann then doubled home Kownacki from first. Following a Walker single,
Michael Taddei capped the frame with an RBI-single to score McCrann from third.
Fordham finished the scoring with two runs in the ninth to lead by a 19-3 count. Pinch hitter Alex Kenny drew a walk to open the inning, and moved to third on a double by Joe Russo, one out later. Martinez then singled to left to score Kenny, while later in the inning, pinch-hitter Ryan David singled home Russo for the final run of the game.
The offensive explosion was more than enough for starter Max Krakowiak (5-3), who cruised to his team-leading fifth win of the season. He pitched seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. Relievers Dan Sorine and James Stone wrapped up the game with two innings of one-hit relief.
At the plate, every Rams' starter had at least one hit in the game, led by Walker, who was 3-for-5 with two home runs, three runs scored, and four RBI, while McCrann was 4-for-4 with four runs scored and two RBI. Mobbs and Kownacki each had two hits and three RBI in the game with Martinez finishing 3-for-6 with two runs scored and two RBI. Como and Maghini each scored a pair of runs with McSherry having the two-run home run as his only hit. Taddei, Fordham's only other starter, ended the game 2-for-5 with an RBI.
The all important rubber game of this series is set for 6:00 PM on Sunday at Campbell's Field.
