Box Score Feb. 27, 2011
Box Score
Asheboro, N.C. - On Saturday, Fordham's Ryan Maghini hit a two-run home run to win the series opener against Iona in extra innings. On Sunday, Maghini was at it again going 4-for-4 with a home run, while Stephen McSherry had the go-ahead two-run triple in the eighth, as the Rams completed a three-game sweep of Iona Gaels with a 10-9 victory.
With the win, Fordham improves to 5-1 on the year, while Iona falls to 0-6. The Rams are out to their best start through six games since 1988, when Fordham opened the year at 6-0. The Rams have also won five straight games for the first time since 2008.
The wild affair began immediately in the first as Iona's Nick Rossetti hit a two-run home run, giving the Gaels a 2-0 lead.
Fordham responded right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning, as Nick Martinez led off with a double, followed by a Brian Kownacki infield single. Chris Walker plated Martinez from third with a sacrifice fly, while Kownacki scored on an RBI-double by Stephen McSherry to knot the game at two.
Iona then plated four runs in the top of the second to take a 6-2 lead, highlighted by a two-run home run by James Beck.
The Rams got one of those runs back in the bottom of the second, as Ryan Maghini led off with a solo home run to right, his second of the season.
Iona regained its four-run lead at 7-3 in the third, as Michael Chiaravalloti hit a solo home run to right.
Fordham pulled back within three in the bottom of the inning, as Walker was hit by a pitch, moved to third on another double by McSherry, and scored on a ground out by Ryan David.
The Rams then pulled even with Iona at seven all in the bottom of the fourth. Ryan Lee and Maghini led off the frame with back-to-back singles, and were sacrificed to second and third by Martinez. After an RBI-ground out by Kownacki made it 7-5, Walker blasted a two-run home run to left center, his second of the season, to tie the game.
Iona got the lead right back in the fifth, as Chris Burke walked, stole second and third, and scored on a single by Matthew Kriss to make it, 8-7.
The score remained in Iona's favor until the bottom of the eighth, when Fordham scored three times to take a 10-8 lead. Maghini led off with a single for his fourth hit of the day, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Martinez. Kownacki then hit a loop single to left, leaving runners at first and third. Walker then hit into a fielder's choice that forced Kownacki, but scored Maghini from third to tie the game at eight. After a walk to Joe Russo, McSherry lined a two-run triple into the right center, scoring both runners for a 10-8 lead.
In the ninth, Iona had a chance to tie, as Beck drew a walk from Fordham reliever Rich Anastasi, while Burke double to right center, leaving runners at second and third with no outs. The Rams then brought in Martinez in from second base to pitch, and got pinch hitter Chris Griffin to hit a short fly ball to center, which could not score the runner from third.
Kriss was the next batter, who hit a ground ball to short, which Maghini threw behind the runner at second and got Burke into a run down. However, an overthrow to third allowed Burke to reach third with Kriss going to second and Beck scoring to make it, 10-9, on the ground ball. Martinez though anchored down, striking out Anthony Muccio and getting Joe Smith to ground out to second to end the ball game for the Rams' fifth straight win.
For Fordham, Anastasi (2-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts, while Martinez earned his first save of the season with one inning of work. Jeremy Adel had gotten the start for Fordham, allowing six runs on six hits in two innings, while Brian Thompson (2 IP, 3 H, 1 R), Dan Sorine (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R), and Jonathan Reich (2 IP, 3 H, 0 R) all pitched in relief.
At the plate, Maghini had his first career four-hit game, going 4-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored, while McSherry was 3-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, and three RBI. Walker had a season-high four RBI and three runs scored to go with a home run, with Kownacki adding two hits and an RBI.
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Wednesday, March 2nd, when the Rams have their home opener against crosstown rival, the Manhattan College Jaspers, beginning at 3:00 PM at Houlihan Park.
