Box Score May 6, 2011
Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. -
The Saint Joseph's duo of Greg Kumpel and Kevin Taylor combined for four hits and six RBI, which included two home runs from Taylor, as the Hawks earned a 9-5 win over the Fordham Rams in the A-10 series opener at Houlihan Park on Friday.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 27-19 overall, 8-8 in the Atlantic 10, while Saint Joseph's improved to 15-28 on the year, 6-10 in the league.
Fordham opened the game with a 1-0 lead in the second, as Brian Kownacki was hit by a pitch, and came around to score on an RBI-triple by Tim Swatek, extending his hit streak to 10 games.
Saint Joseph's responded quickly with a four-run third inning to take a 4-1 lead. The inning began with an errant throw by Fordham, allowing Anthony Cirillo to reach base. After a sacrifice bunt and two walks loaded the bases, Greg Krumpel doubled down the left field line, scoring two runs. After a ground out plated another run, Krumpel scored on a wild pitch to make it, 4-1.
The Hawks extended the lead to 8-1 with a four-run fifth inning, knocking Fordham starter Brian Pendergast out of the game. The highlight of the frame was a two-run home run by Kevin Taylor, his third of the season.
The Rams tried to chip away at the Hawks' lead with three runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to make it an 8-5 ball game. In the sixth, Nick Martinez led off with a single and scored on a double by Ryan David. After a pair of outs, Kownacki was hit by a pitch and Swatek walked to load the bases. Ryan Maghini then ripped a two-run single to center, scoring David and Kownacki, but Maghini would be thrown out at second, trying to advance on the throw into the infield.
Fordham added one run in the seventh on a ground rule double by Stephen McSherry, a wild pitch and a single by pinch-hitter Joe Russo.
The Hawks added back to their lead in the ninth, as Taylor connected for his second home run of the game to right, making it a 9-5 score.
The Rams did put some drama together in the bottom of the ninth, as Fordham loaded the bases with one out on a singles by McSherry and Martinez, and a walk to David. However, Hawks' reliever Ryan Kemp got Chris Walker to pop up to first and struck out Ryan Lee to end the game. Walker and Lee were held in check by the Hawks' pitching trio of Kyle Mullen, Dominic Favazza, and Kemp, as the two Ram hitters, combined to go 0-for-10 in the game.
Pendergast (2-7) took the loss, allowing eight runs (five earned) on five hits and three walks in 4.2 innings of work. Joseph Charest pitched 2.2 innings of relief, giving up one hit with three strikeouts with Rich Anastasi allowing one run in the final 1.2 innings.
At the plate, Martinez and David were each 2-for-4 with a run scored, while McSherry was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Maghini also had a pair of RBI in the game.
The same two teams will match up for game two on Saturday, beginning at 4:00 PM.
