Box Score March 13, 2012
Box Score
Boca Raton, Fla. -
Florida Atlantic's Mike Spano drove in three runs, while R.J. Alvarez threw 2.2 innings of two-hit relief, as the Owls outlasted the Fordham Rams, 8-5, at FAU Baseball Stadium in Coral Gables, Florida.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 5-11 on the year, while Florida Atlantic improved to 11-7.
FAU scored first in the bottom of the first. Mike Albaladejo drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Mark Nelson. After a walk to Kyle Newton loaded the bases, Mike Spano lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Albaladejo.
The Owls extended the lead to 3-0 in the second, when Gregg Bennis reached on a triple, followed by a walk to Mitch Morales. Geoff Jimenez then hit a chopper to third, allowing Bennis to score with Morales taking second. Albaladejo continued the inning with an RBI-double to put the Owls up by three.
FAU continued to pour on the offense in the third with two more runs for a 5-0 lead. Spano hit a solo home run to right, while the other run came on a Fordham error.
The Rams got back into the ballgame in the sixth, scoring three times to trail by two, 5-3. Zach Small led off with a single, followed by another single by Matthew Cianci. Brian Kownacki then plated Small with an RBI-single with Cianci moving to third. The Rams loaded the bases on a Ryan Maghini infield single with Ryan Lee connecting on an RBI-fielder's choice, scoring Cianci. Kownacki then scored on an RBI-ground out by Mike Mauri.
Fordham continued the comeback in the seventh, tying the game at five. Stephen McSherry opened with a walk and moved to third on a hit-and-run with Cianci. Kownacki doubled to right center, scoring McSherry with Cianci taking third. Cianci then scored on a ground out by Maghini.
FAU regained the lead in the bottom of the frame at 6-5, as Ricky Santiago doubled with two outs and scored on a single by Morales.
The Owls added two more runs in the eighth, highlighted by an RBI-single by Spano.
The Rams tried to rally in the ninth, as they got the tying run to the plate after a one-out walk to Cianci and a two-out single by Maghini. Lee though grounded out to second to end the game.
Rich Anastasi (2-2) pitched very well over 4.2 innings of relief, but got hooked with the loss. He gave up one run on five hits and tied a career-high with seven strikeouts. Starter Daniel Munday went the first 2.1 innings, giving up five runs on five hits with five walks.
At the plate, Kownacki was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI, while Maghini was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Mauri and Cianci were both 2-for-4 with Cianci scoring a pair of runs.
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Friday, March 16th, when the Rams open play at the Seton Hall Strike Out Cancer Tournament against Seton Hall at noon.
