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Bronx, N.Y. –
Jason Lundy's bases clearing triple in the top of the eighth inning proved to be the turning point of the game, as the Fordham Rams topped the Saint Louis Billikens, 9-7, on Wednesday to advance in the winner's bracket of the 2016 Atlantic 10 Championship, hosted at Fordham's Houlihan Park.
With the win, Fordham improved to 29-27 on the season, while Saint Louis fell to 25-30.
Fordham got on the board right away in the first inning with a one-out rally.
Joseph Runco singled to right and moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt. After a single to center by
Ryan McNally,
Mark Donadio plated Runco with a sacrifice fly to center and a 1-0 lead.
The Rams made it a 2-0 game in the top of the fourth, as McNally connected on a solo home run to left, his team-leading 11
th of the season.
The score remained that way until the sixth, when the Billikens scored four times to take a 4-2 lead. The Billikens received RBI-singles by Parker Sniatynski and Trent Leimkuehler, as well as a two-run double by Braxton Martinez.
Saint Louis added another run in the seventh, as with a runner at first, reliever
Jimmy Murphy threw errant to first base, allowing Cole Dubet to score on the play, all the way from first.
Fordham would not go away, putting together a six-run rally, all with two outs, to take an 8-5 lead. With one out, Runco drew a four-pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch. After a fly out,
Mark Donadio and
Luke Stampfl both reached on infield single, with Stampfl's hit plating Runco.
Justin Bardwell followed with an RBI-single to right, closing the deficit to 5-4.
Following a second pitching change of the inning, pinch-hitter
Ian Edmiston drew a walk, loading the bases for
Jason Lundy. Lundy then roped a bases clearing triple over the centerfielder's head, giving the Rams a 7-5 lead.
Joseph DeVito then capped the six-run outburst with an RBI-single to left for an 8-5 edge.
Jason Lundy's bases clearing triple was the turning point of the game.
The Rams added another run in the ninth to make it a 9-5 game on an RBI-double from Stampfl.
The Billikens made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth, scoring twice and getting the tying run aboard with one out. However, Fordham reliever
Jimmy Murphy induced a 6-3 ground ball double play to end the game with a 9-7 decision in favor of the Rams.
Murphy improved to 3-2 on the season, as he allowed two earned runs on four hits over 3.1 innings of relief. Starter
Joseph Serrapica received a no-decision, giving up two runs on two hits with six strikeouts over 5.1 innings of work.
At the plate, Lundy was 1-for-3 with the three-run triple, while Runco and McNally were both 2-for-3 with two runs scored in the game. Stampfl also had a pair of hits and two RBI.
Fordham now moves on in the winner's bracket to face top-seeded Rhode Island at 1:30 PM on Friday.
