Bronx, N.Y. - Despite a superb pitching effort from
Ben Greenberg, the Fordham baseball squad fell to the Wagner Seahawks, 2-0, at Houlihan Park on Friday to start a three-game series.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 6-11 on the year, while Wagner improved to 4-7.
It was a pitcher's duel between Wagner's Austin Goeke and Fordham's
Ben Greenberg. Both pitchers worked their way in and out of trouble over the first six innings, as each posted six shutout innings.
Goeke was relieved with one out in the seventh, after Fordham's
Justin Bardwell tripled to right center. Paul Mammino came in and got pinch-hitter
Luke Stampfl to strike out and
Joseph DeVito to ground out to end the Fordham scoring threat.
Fordham got a runner to third on four occasions in the game, but could not plate a run.
That cost the Rams in the ninth, as Wagner scored twice off Greenberg to take a 2-0 lead. Kyle Brey started the inning with a double down the right field line and was sacrificed to third. Then with the infield pulled in, Ben Ruta ripped a shot just past DeVito at short to score Brey from third. After a single put runners at the corners, Anthony Harrold singled to center, scoring Ruta from third.
In the bottom of the frame, Fordham got the tying run to the plate with one out, after
Mark Donadio singled up the middle off Wagner reliever Nick Pavia. However, Pavia struck out Bardwell and Stampfl to end the game and earn his second save of the season.
In total, Wagner pitchers totaled 14 strikeouts on the afternoon, holding the Rams to just four hits. Mammino (1-1) earned the win in relief, allowing one hit over 1.2 innings with three strikeouts. Goeke went the first 6.1 innings, giving up two hits with four walks and nine strikeouts.
For Fordham, Greenberg (3-1) was the hard luck loser as he threw his second career complete game, allowing two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.
Joseph Runco and
Jason Lundy each had a hit and a stolen base for Fordham, with Bardwell and Donadio having the other two hits.
Ryan McNally added a pair of stolen bases.
The same two teams match-up for a doubleheader on Saturday at noon at the Richmond County Ballpark on Staten Island.
