Box Score March 24, 2012
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Bronx, N.Y. -
In an eerily similar situation to Friday's contest, the Fordham Rams were determined to not let another game slip away against the Massachusetts Minutemen on Saturday. That determination came through as Ryan Maghini plated Matthew Cinaci with a game-winning single in extra innings to give Fordham a 5-4 win over the Minutemen.
With the win, Fordham moves to 8-15 on the season, 1-1 in the Atlantic 10, while Massachusetts falls to 3-7 on the year, 1-1 in the league.
Massachusetts opened the scoring in the first off Fordham starter Chris Pike. Ryan Cusick led off with a single and stole second. Cusick advanced to third on a ground out, and eventually scored on a single by Tom Conley.
Fordham answered quickly with a run in the bottom of the inning. Matthew Cianci and Brian Kownacki were both hit by pitches and advanced on a sacrifice by Ryan Lee. Ryan Maghini then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Cianci from third.
The Minutemen regained the lead in the second off a Fordham error, a balk, and an RBI-single by Rich Graef.
The Rams responded with three runs in the third to take a 4-2 lead. Cianci opened the frame by reaching on an errant throw. A base hit and stolen base by Kownacki left runners at second and third for Lee. Lee then delivered a two-run single to right, scoring Cianci and Kownacki. Maghini followed with a ground ball to third, but Lee beat the play to second with the ball going into right field, putting runners at first and third. Tim Swatek then plated Lee with a sacrifice fly to center for a three-run lead.
The score remained that way until the seventh, when the Minutemen pulled even at four all. Nick Sanford led off with an infield single and moved to third on a one-out double by Cusick. Sanford then scored on a ground out by Rob McLam, with Cusick scoring on an RBI-single from Anthony Serino.
UMass looked to break the tie in the eighth and ninth innings, as they put two runners on in both innings. However, Fordham reliever John Porter kept the Minutemen off the scoreboard with some fine pitching. The best chance was in the ninth with runners at second and third and two outs with Porter striking out Dylan Begin for the second time to end that threat.
That set the stage for extra innings, where the Rams got a one-out single from Cianci to get the winning run on base in the tenth. After a sacrifice bunt by Kownacki, UMass reliever Leif Sorenson intentionally walked Lee, bringing Maghini to the plate. Maghini connected for a single to right field with Cianci just sliding in safely under the tag of UMass' catcher Tom Conley to give Fordham the walk-off win.
Porter (1-2) earned his first career win, pitching three innings of two-hit relief with two strikeouts. Pike went the first seven innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts.
At the plate, Maghini was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Lee was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Cianci set a career-high with three runs scored in the game.
The two teams will match-up for the rubber game of this series on Sunday, with first pitch set for noon.
