Baseball Wins Third Straight Game with Win Over Iona

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Behind a 14-hit barrage and a solid pitching effort from sophomores Kirk Haynes, Jr. and Shane McDonald, the Fordham Rams posted their third straight win with an 11-3 victory over the Iona Gaels at Houlihan Park.
 
With the win, Fordham improved to 13-20 on the year, while Iona fell to 11-23.  The win also came on a day where a number of the Rams shaved their heads for childhood cancer awareness and raised over $14,000 for the cause.
 
The Rams jumped on the Gaels early and often, opening a 9-0 lead by the fifth inning.  
 
In the first, Jason Lundy walked with one out and moved to second after Mark Donadio was hit by a pitch.  One out later, Ryan McNally singled to left to score Lundy for the initial lead.
 
The second inning saw Joseph Runco extend his hit streak to 11 games, as he connected on a two-run triple to right center, scoring Joseph DeVito and Tim O'Connor, making it a 3-0 game.
 
The Rams then hit big with a four-run third inning, highlighted by a three-run triple by Jordan Gajdos and an RBI-single by DeVito.
 
Ian Edmiston picked up an RBI-single in the fourth, while Lundy recorded an RBI-ground out in the fifth, giving Fordham a 9-0 lead.
 
Iona would score in the top of the sixth, but the Rams answered right away with a run in the bottom of the frame on a wild pitch, making it a 10-1 score.
 
The Gaels scored twice in the seventh with Fordham netting one final run in the bottom half of the inning for the 11-3 final.
 
Fordham starter Kirk Haynes, Jr. was stellar on the mound, as he did not allow a hit until the fifth inning to earn his second win of the year.  He threw the first six innings, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts.  Fellow sophomore Shane McDonald closed out the game for his second save of the year, as he pitched the final three innings, allowing two runs and striking out five batters.
 
At the plate, Gajdos had his first career three-hit game, going 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBI, while DeVito was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.  McNally also went 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI with Charles Galiano going 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
 
The Rams will have a quick turnaround for their next game, as Fordham plays at Siena on Wednesday, April 15^th, beginning at 3:30 PM.