Baseball Falls To FGCU in Wild Affair

Fort Myers, Fla. - FGCU's Colton Bottomley registered four RBI, while Tyler Selesky and Nick Rivera each had three, as the Eagles posted a wild win over the Fordham Rams, 15-8, at Swanson Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida.
 
With the loss, Fordham falls to 1-5 on the year, FGCU improved to 3-4.
 
Fordham started the game well taking the initial lead in the second inning.  Matthew Kozuch led off with a single and moved to third on a double by Luke Stampfl.  After a strikeout, Ryan McNally reached on a bunt single, allowing Kozuch to score.  Ryan Mahoney then plated Stampfl from third with a sacrifice fly.
 
FGCU responded with a four-run third inning to take a 4-2 edge, highlighted by a two-run single by Colton Bottomley and an RBI-double for Nick Rivera.
 
The Eagles added three more runs in the fourth, making it a 7-2 ballgame, as Tyler Selesky had a two-run single in the frame, while Bottomley was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run.
 
The Rams then put together a six-run rally in the fifth inning to regain the lead at 8-7.  Fordham sent ten batters to plate which began with a singles by Mahoney and Jason Lundy.  Joseph Runco followed with an RBI-single to right, while Mark Donadio was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
 
Charles Galiano then doubled down the right field line to score Lundy and Runco, while the relay throw got by the third baseman, allowing Donadio to score and Galiano to move to third.  After a pitching change, Kozuch tripled to the left center gap, scoring Galiano to tie the game at seven.  Stampfl then gave Fordham the lead with a single through the left side, scoring Kozuch.
 
FGCU wasted little time in getting the lead back with a five-run fifth inning, where the Eagles got a pair of bases loaded walks, a two-run double by Rivera, and an RBI-double from Selesky.
 
The Eagles added one run in the sixth and two in the eighth to eventually win by a 15-8 score.
 
The Rams had a rough day on the mound, allowing 15 hits, eight walks, and five hit batsmen.  David Manasek (0-1) took the loss allowing three runs on two walks and a hit batter without recording an out.
 
At the plate, Kozuch was 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and an RBI, while Stampfl and McNally were both 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
 
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Friday, February 27^th, when the Rams head west to start a three-game series at USC.  Game time is set for 9:00 PM Eastern (6:00 PM Pacific).