Photo GalleryArlington, Va. – URI's Lou DiStasio threw seven innings of five-hit ball, while Derek Gardella drove in three runs, as the Rhode Island Rams upended the Fordham Rams, 7-3, in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Championship on Wednesday at Tucker Field at Barcroft Park.
With the loss, Fordham (22-31) moves into the first elimination game of the tournament against George Washington later on Wednesday.
Fordham started off well, wasting little time to get on the scoreboard twice in the first inning.
Ian Edmiston started the rally with a single to center, followed by a walk to
Matthew Kozuch and a hit by pitch to
Charles Galiano to load the bases with one out.
Mark Donadio then hit a ground ball to the left side for a fielder's choice with Edmiston scoring from third.
Joseph DeVito then singled home Galiano from second for a 2-0 lead.
Fordham increased its lead to 3-0 in the third inning with a two-out rally. Galiano was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, followed by a single to center by Donadio. DeVito then came through again with an RBI-single to center to score Galiano.
Rhode Island cut into that lead in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs to make it, 3-2. URI scored runs on an RBI-ground out by Derek Gardella and an RBI-infield single by Chris Hess.
URI then took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth with a three-run rally, scoring runs on an RBI-double by Ryan Olmo, a fielder's choice by Martin Taveras, and an RBI-single from Nick DeRegis.
Charles Galiano rounds third, scoring one of his
two runs vs. URI (Photo by Mitchell Layton) Rhody extended its lead to 7-3 in the sixth, as Gardella registered a two-run single to left.
Fordham looked to cut into the Rhode Island lead in the eighth, as Edmiston drew a walk and Kozuch was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Galiano then ripped a ball to the left field wall just over the leftfielder's head. However, Edmiston held at second thinking the ball would be caught. Edmiston and Kozuch would move up a base, but Galiano would get doubled off first on the play. Donadio then struck out with DeVito flying out to center to end the inning.
Fordham did get a baserunner in the ninth on a pinch-hit double by
Ryan Mahoney, but he was stranded for the 7-3 final.
URI's Lou DiStasio (6-5) got the win, allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings, while Taso Stathopoulos earned his third save by pitching two scoreless innings. Fordham starter
Brett Kennedy (6-8) took the loss, giving up five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts over 4.2 innings of work.
At the plate, DeVito was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Galiano was 1-for-2 with two runs scored.
The Rams now take on George Washington at 8:30 PM on Wednesday in the first elimination game of the championship.
