Box Score March 2, 2013
Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. -
Behind an 11-hit attack that featured five doubles and four stellar innings of relief from freshman Joseph Serrapica, the Fordham baseball team extended its win streak to five games, as the Rams posted an 8-4 victory over the Lehigh Mountain Hawks at Houlihan Park on Saturday.
The win improves Fordham's record to 5-2 on the year, while Lehigh fell to 3-3.
Fordham cracked the scoreboard first in the opening stanza, taking advantage of a Lehigh error. With one out, Fordham loaded the bases on an error, an infield single, and a walk. Charles Galiano then plated Matthew Cianci with a fielder's choice for the early 1-0 lead.
Lehigh responded quickly with three runs in the second, highlighted by an RBI-single from Brandon Wilt.
The Rams closed back to within one, 3-2, in the third inning, as Tim Swatek singled, moved to second on a ground out, and scored on an error.
Fordham regained the lead in the fourth inning at 4-3. Ian Edmiston began the rally with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Ryan Lee then laced a double down the right field lineto score Edmiston. Lee then scored on two wild pitches.
Then, a four-run fifth inning increased the Rams' lead to 8-3 over the Mountain Hawks. Mauri started the inning with a single and was doubled to third by Galiano. Ryan McNally followed with a two-run single through the left side, scoring both runners and taking second on the throw home. After a foul out and a hit by pitch, Joseph DeVito connected for his first career hit, driving in McNally. Lee plated the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly.
Lehigh was held to just one run over the final seven innings, in part to a pair of double plays, two outs at home, and a combined five innings of relief from Joseph Serrapica and Jonathan Reich. In the fourth with one out and a runner on third, Tim Swatek caught a line drive and fired home to catch the runner in a rundown, where he was eventually tagged out by Galiano.
The Rams picked up another outfield assist in the seventh, as Matthew Cianci gunned down Mike Garzillo at the plate, keeping the score at 8-3.
Fordham's relief pitching closed out strong, as Serrapica (1-0) earned his first career win, allowing just one run on four hits with three strikeouts over four innings of work. Reich then closed out the game with a perfect ninth, posting two strikeouts. Fordham starter Rich Anastasi got a no-decision, as he pitched four innings, giving up three runs on six hits with three strikeouts.
At the plate, Lee was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, while Galiano was also 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. Edmiston finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored and was hit by a pitch twice with Swatek also having a pair of hits and a run scored.
Fordham will close out the weekend with one more home game against Lehigh at 3:00 PM on Sunday.
