Wilson, N.C. – The Fordham baseball team split its doubleheader with Canisius College on Saturday at Fleming Stadium in Wilson, N.C. The Rams put together multiple rallies in game one, finishing with a 6-5 walkoff win to snap a six-game slide, while the Golden Griffins pitched a 4-0 shutout in game two
With the split, Fordham is 2-7 on the season, while Canisius is 8-3.
In game one, Canisius took the initial lead in the top of the second, as Conley singled to right, moved to third on a ground ball and a passed ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nicholson.
Fordham responded right away in the bottom of the frame, tying the game at one.
Mark Donadio connected on a one-out double and after a strikeout,
Ryan Mahoney singled to right, scoring Donadio from second.
Canisius regained the lead in the top of fifth at 2-1 and then added to the lead with two more runs in the sixth for a 4-1 edge.
The Rams though would rally again with a three-run sixth to tie the game at four.
Justin Bardwell began the rally by reaching second on an error and moved to third on a wild pitch. After a pop out,
Matthew Kozuch reached on an error by the second baseman, allowing Bardwell to score to make it, 4-2. Canisius then went to the bullpen, but
Ryan Mahoney greeted reliever Ginther with a two-run home run down the right field line to knot the game at four. It was Mahoney's first of the season.
The Golden Griffins went back on top in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Stekl. The Rams answered back with a run in the eighth to keep the game tied at five. Bardwell led off with a single to left and then scored on a double to right center by Donadio.
Brian Goulard had the walkoff hit in game one.
The game went to ninth, where freshman
Brandon Martin held Canisius off the board, leaving the game in the hands of the Fordham offense. The offense delivered as pinch-hitter
Reiss Knehr reached base on an error, was sacrificed to second by
Jason Lundy, and scored on a single down the right field line by
Brian Goulard, giving Fordham the 6-5 win.
Martin (1-0) earned his first collegiate win in relief by pitching a scoreless ninth. Starter
Anthony DiMeglio went the first 5.1 innings, allowing four runs on four hits with five strikeouts, while
Alvin Melendez tossed 2.2 innings of two-hit relief with three strikeouts.
At the plate, Donadio was 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored, while Mahoney was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Goulard also had two hits and the game-winning RBI with Bardwell registering a hit and two runs scored.
In game two, all of the scoring took place in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jake Lumley had an RBI-single early in the inning, which was followed by a three-run double by Chris Conley for the 4-0 lead.
That was all the Golden Griffins would need as Fordham managed only three hits off Canisius starter J.P. Stevenson, who went seven scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
Fordham's
Reiss Knehr (1-2) took the loss, allowing four runs on three hits with five walks and eight strikeouts.
The two teams will wrap up their series with a 10:30 AM game on Sunday.
