Box Score April 16, 2013
Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. -
Iona's Matt Byrne hit a solo home run and scored three times, while Joe Smith was 3-for-3 with two doubles, as the Gaels topped the Fordham Rams, 7-4, at Houlihan Park on Tuesday night.
The loss drops Fordham to 12-24 on the year, while Iona moved to 5-30.
The Gaels wasted little time in getting the lead. Iona loaded the bases with one out in the first inning and scored once on a sacrifice fly by Chris Sand and twice on a two-run triple by Christian Choman to take a 3-0 lead.
Fordham bounced back with two in the third to cut the deficit to one. Tim Swatek reached on a two-out bunt single and stole second. Joseph Runco followed with a single to center, scoring Swatek, and moving to second on the throw home. Mike Mauri then singled through the right side to plate Runco for the Rams' second run.
Iona answered with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to regain a three-run lead, as the Gaels got RBI-singles from Vinnie DeMaria and Matt Kriss to make it a 5-2 game.
Fordham scored once in the sixth to pull back within two at 5-3. Sam Careccia connected on a ground rule double to right center and scored on a two-out single by Ryan Phelan.
However, the Gaels got that run back in the eighth on DeMaria's second RBI-single of the game, and then added a solo home run by Matt Byrne, his first of the season, to take a 7-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth.
In the ninth, Fordham tried to rally back and for the second straight game got the go-ahead run to the plate. Careccia started the inning with a single to left center and moved to second when Joseph Conway was hit by a pitch. After the second strikeout of the inning, Runco singled down the right field line to score Careccia and move Conway to third. Mauri then drew a walk to load the bases and bring the go-ahead run to the plate.
Iona reliever Tom Kriss then came in from the bullpen and threw one pitch to Charles Galiano, who hit a comebacker right to Kriss for the 1-3 putout to end the game. For Kriss, it was his second save of the season, which held the win for his brother, Matt, who pitched the first three innings of the game with six strikeouts.
Fordham starter J.C. Porter (1-3) took the loss, allowing five runs (one earned) on seven hits over six-plus innings, while recording a career-high six strikeouts. Jonathan Reich pitch the final three innings for Fordham, allowing two runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
At the plate, Runco was 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Careccia was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Wednesday, April 17th, as the team travel to Siena for a 3:30 PM game.
