Box Score May 20, 2011
Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. -
In what was a do-or-die game for the team's playoff chances, the Fordham Rams turned to their freshman starter Chris Pike to shut down the Xavier offense on Friday. Pike delivered with a complete game five-hitter, as the Rams stayed alive in the Atlantic 10 playoff race with a 3-2 victory over the Musketeers at Houlihan Park. The win, coupled with St. Bonaventure's loss, sets up a "win and you're in" game for Fordham and Xavier on Saturday night.
With the win, Fordham improves to 31-22-1, 12-10-1 in the Atlantic 10, while Xavier falls to 29-25 overall, 13-10 in the league.
Fordham grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning, as Ryan David continued his hot hitting from Thursday with a one-out single. Ryan Lee then singled to advance David to third, and after a strikeout, Tim Swatek connected for an RBI-single to left, scoring David.
The Musketeers tied the game at one in the top of the third, as Mark Elwell reached on an error, was sacrificed to second, and scored on a ground rule double by Seth Willoughby.
Xavier then took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on an RBI-ground out by Patrick Paligraf, scoring Ryan Bellamy, who led off the inning with a triple to left center.
Fordham rebounded immediately with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. Brian Kownacki got things started with a single to center, followed by a single down the left field line by Stephen McSherry. After the duo pulled off a double steal, Ryan Maghini struck out but the pitch went wild, allowing Maghini to reach first with Kownacki scoring on the wild pitch.
The Rams would eventually load the bases later in the fourth, where David plated Maghini from third with a sacrifice fly to left for a 3-2 lead.
Fordham starter Chris Pike took the game over from there, allowing only two base runners over the final five innings, striking out four of the final six batters in the game to post his eighth win of the year. It was Pike's third complete game of the year, allowing just one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts.
At the plate, Swatek led the charge for Fordham, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Nick Martinez, Lee, and Kownacki each had a pair of hits.
The same two teams will match-up for the decisive rubber game on Saturday at Houlihan Park, beginning at 7:00 PM, with the winner moving onto to next week's Atlantic 10 Championship in Camden, New Jersey. It will also be Senior Day, where the Rams will honor its eight seniors, prior to the game.
