Baseball Holds On for 8-5 Win Over Canisius

Behind season-high totals for runs and hits, the Fordham baseball team wrapped up its four-game series against the Canisius Golden Griffins with an 8-5 win at Fleming Stadium in Wilson, N.C.
 
With the win, Fordham earns a split of the series and improved to 3-4 on the year, while Canisius fell to 2-6.
 
Fordham opened the scoring right away in the first inning, as Ryan McNally connected on a one-out single to extend his career-long hit streak to seven games, while Matthew Kozuch drew a walk.  After a double steal, McNally scored on a ground out by Mark Donadio.
 
The Rams extended the lead to 3-0 in the third.  Joseph DeVito and Joseph Runco led off the frame with back-to-back infield singles and moved up a base on a balk.  McNally then flew out to right for a sacrifice fly, scoring DeVito from third and moving Runco up a base.  Kozuch followed with an RBI-triple to right for a three-run edge.
 
Canisius responded with a four-run fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead.  The Golden Griffins picked up RBI-doubles from Stekl and Conley, as well as a two-run single from McKenna.

 
Fordham regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth, netting a pair of runs.  DeVito started the rally with a single to left and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.  After a strikeout and a walk, Donadio singled to right, scoring DeVito, while moving Kozuch to third.  Kozuch later scored on an error.
 
The Rams extended the lead to 7-4 in in the seventh inning behind another Canisius error and an RBI-double by Justin Bardwell.
 
The two teams traded runs in the eighth for the final score of 8-5.
 
Fordham reliever Ryan Remo (1-1) earned his first career win, giving up two hits over 1.1 innings of work, while Kirk Haynes, Jr. earned the save, tossing 1.2 innings of hitless relief with two strikeouts. Starter Jimmy Murphy went the first 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts, while David Manasek pitched 1.2 innings of two-hit relief with two strikeouts.
 
At the plate, DeVito was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Kozuch was 2-for-2 with a triple, two runs scored and two stolen bases.  Donadio was also 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.
 
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Friday, March 4^th, when the Rams travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana for a three-game series at LSU.