Photo GalleryOld Westbury, N.Y. - NYIT's Louis Mele connected on a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh, while Chris Johnson tossed 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, as the Bears edged out the Fordham Rams, 5-4, at Angelo Lorenzo Field in Old Westbury, N.Y.
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The loss drops Fordham to 8-12 overall, while NYIT improved to 8-10.
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NYIT opened the scoring in the second inning, as Robert Fiato doubled to left and scored on a double by Jake Lebel.
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Fordham tied the game right away in the third inning.Â
Jason Lundy hit a one-out triple down the right field line and then scored on a ground out by
Joseph Runco.
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The Bears answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame on an RBI-single by Thomas Joannou, scoring Frank Sanacore from third.
Jason LundyÂ
The Rams then grabbed their first lead of the game in the top of the fifth at 3-2.Â
Luke Stampfl singled to right center to start the inning and advanced to second on a passed ball.Â
Joseph DeVito was hit by pitch to put runners at first and second. After a sacrifice bunt, Runco delivered a two-run single, scoring both runners.
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NYIT didn't allow the lead to last long, scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth on a fielder's choice to knot the game at three.
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Fordham regained the lead in the top of the seventh as Runco answered the bell once again. Fordham loaded the bases on an error, a walk, and a Lundy single, which was followed by an RBI-single to left by Runco for his career-high fourth RBI of the day.
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NYIT replied with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the 5-4 lead that they would not relinquish. With two outs, and runners at first and second, Louis Mele doubled to the right field wall, scoring both Matthew DeAngelis and Joannou.
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For Fordham,
Anthony DiMeglio (1-1) was hooked with the loss relief, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk. A total of nine pitchers saw action for the Rams on Wednesday. At the plate, Runco was 2-for-5 with a career-high four RBI, while Lundy was 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored.
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The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Friday, March 25
th, when the Rams begin a four-game series against NJIT with a doubleheader at noon at Newark Bears Stadium in Newark, N.J.