Box Score March 28, 2012
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Bronx, N.Y. -
When using seven pitchers on the afternoon, one would think that one of them would be the difference in Fordham's game against LIU on Wednesday at Houlihan Park. However, it was the player catching all seven that made the biggest noise, as Fordham's Ryan Phelan registered a career-high four RBI, including the go-ahead three-run double, in a 9-7 win over the Blackbirds.
With the win, Fordham improves to 9-16 on the season, while LIU fell to 9-15.
The Blackbirds opened the scoring in the second, as Drew Walsh led off with a single to right and scored on a double by Albert Faz. Later in the inning, Faz was driven home by a Jesse Brown double.
The Rams responded with four runs in the bottom of the second. Ryan Maghini led off with a single to right center and moved to second on a walk to Tim Swatek. Stephen McSherry laid down a perfect bunt single to load the bases, which was followed by a looping single to left center by Ryan Phelan, scoring Maghini.
After a pair of outs, Mike Mauri was caught off first base and put in a rundown, with McSherry jetting for home. McSherry would slide in safely on the throw home with Mauri and Phelan advancing to second and third, respectively. Matthew Cianci then drilled a single to left, scoring both runners for a 4-2 lead.
Brian Kownacki then headed to the hill in the third for Fordham as a relief pitcher. After a single and a fly out, Kownacki had to be removed from the game with an injury, which brought McSherry in from the outfield to pitch. McSherry would give up two singles, a walk, a hit batsman, and three runs, before being relieved by Jonathan Reich, who would get the Rams out of the inning trailing by one, 5-4.
LIU picked up two more runs in the sixth on a two-run double by Pete Leonello, giving the Blackbirds a 7-4 lead.
Fordham then rallied back in the seventh, scoring four times to take an 8-7 lead. Cianci led off with a bunt single and stole second. One out later,
Ryan Lee plated Cianci with a single to right center. Lee then stole second with the throw going into the outfield, allowing Lee to reach third. Back-to-back walks to Swatek and McSherry loaded the bases for Phelan, who came through with a bases clearing double, giving Fordham the edge.
The Rams then got an insurance run in the eighth, as Mauri drilled a shot to deep centerfield, and scored on an inside-the-park home run, good for his second home run of the season.
LIU threatened to tie the game in the ninth, but, reliever Jeremy Adel was able to lockdown the final three outs with two runners on for his third save of the season.
Reliever John Porter (2-2) earned the victory in relief, pitching two hitless innings with one strikeout. Reich pitched 2.2 innings of relief, recording a career-high five strikeouts, while Rich Anastasi threw one inning of scoreless relief. Starter Jordan Grangard pitched the opening two innings, giving up two runs on four hits with a strikeout.
At the plate, Phelan was 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI, while Cianci was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Lee, Maghini, and McSherry also had two hits each in the game with Mauri going 1-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored.
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Friday, March 30th, when the Rams travel to St. Bonaventure, New York, to start a three-game Atlantic 10 series with the Bonnies, beginning at 3:00 PM.
