Box Score March 9, 2012
Box Score
Miami, Fla. -
FIU's T.J. Shantz and Nathan Burns each had three hits, three runs scored, and three RBI, as the Panthers opened a three-game series with the Fordham Rams with a 10-4 victory at FIU Baseball Stadium in Miami, Fla.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 4-9, while FIU improves to 6-5.
FIU got on the board first, as with two outs in the bottom of the first, Nathan Burns reached on an error and came around to score on a double by Mike Martinez.
The Rams tried to answer quickly in the second, as Fordham loaded the bases with two outs. Brendan Maghini reached on a single, while Stephen McSherry reached on an error with Ryan Phelan drawing a walk. Matthew Cianci then put a charge into one to the left center gap, but David Vasquez caught it at the warning track to keep Fordham off the board.
The Panthers extended the lead to 5-0 in third inning. Roche Woodard opened with a single and stole second. He quickly scored on an RBI-single by T.J. Shantz. After a Burns single, Martinez singled home his second run of the game to make it, 3-0. After two outs and a double steal, Iosmel Leon plated both runners with a single to left.
FIU continued to score in the fourth with two more runs, as Shantz posted his second RBI-single of the game, while Burns had an RBI-double for a 7-0 lead.
The Rams cracked the scoreboard in the sixth, scoring three times to make it a 7-3 game. Ryan Maghini reached on an error to start the frame and moved to second when Ryan Lee was hit by a pitch. After a passed ball advanced the runners, Mike Mauri then reached on an error, scoring both runners. Tim Swatek then singled, moving Mauri to second. A foul out advanced the runners followed by an infield single by McSherry, which scored Mauri from third.
FIU got a single run back in the bottom of the sixth on another RBI-single by Shantz, scoring Vazquez, who had reached third on two walks and a stolen base.
Fordham pulled back within four at 8-4 in the top of the eighth inning, as Tim Swatek connected for a solo home run to left, the first of his career.
The Panthers however answered back in the bottom of the inning with a home run of their own, as Burns hit a two-run home run to cap the scoring at 10-4.
For Fordham, John Porter (0-2) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on nine hits over four innings. Dan Sorine allowed one run on two hits in 1.2 innings of relief, while Jordan Grangard finished the game, giving up two runs on one hit in 2.1 innings of work.
At the plate, Swatek was 2-for-4 with a home run, while McSherry was also 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The same two teams will match-up for game two of the series on Saturday at 6:00 PM.
