Bronx, N.Y. – With a good number of players and staff from the 1987 MAAC and ECAC Champion Fordham baseball team in attendance, the current Rams put together a solid performance in their honor, led by
Matthew Kozuch's second career four-hit game, as Fordham topped LIU Brooklyn, 5-3, at Houlihan Park on Saturday.
With the win, Fordham improved to 20-22 on the year, while LIU Brooklyn fell to 17-22.
Fordham wasted little time getting on the scoreboard against LIU Brooklyn starter Anthony Rupp, scoring a run in the first inning.
Matthew Kozuch led off with a ground rule double to left center and one out later scored on a single by
Luke Stampfl.
LIU Brooklyn responded with a three-run third inning to take a 3-1 lead. After the Blackbirds had tied the game at one on a bunt single, LIU loaded the bases with two outs. Andrew Turner then hit a shot to the right side that Kozuch picked and threw to pitcher
Jimmy Murphy, covering first. However, Murphy missed the catch, allowing Turner to reach and two runs came in on the error.
The Rams closed back within one in the bottom of the third at 3-2. Kozuch singled to left center, where the leftfielder overran the ball, allowing Kozuch to reach third.
Mark Donadio followed with a single to right field, scoring Kozuch.
Fordham regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring twice to make it a 4-3 game.
Billy Godrick was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to second on a single by
Jason Lundy.
Jake Baker followed with a single to center to score Godrick and tie the game at three. Kozuch then doubled down the left field line to score Lundy for a 4-3 lead.
The Rams tacked on another run in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases on singles by Kozuch and Donadio and a Stampfl hit by pitch.
Justin Bardwell drove a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Kozuch, giving the Rams a 5-3 edge.
Shane McDonald
That was enough for the pitching trio of Murphy,
Shane McDonald, and
Alvin Melendez. Murphy (5-6) recorded his fifth win of the year, allowing one earned run on five hits over six innings of work with four strikeouts, while McDonald threw two innings of one-hit relief with three strikeouts. Melendez pitched a clean ninth to record his fourth save of the season.
At the plate, Kozuch recorded his second career four-hit game, going 4-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored, and an RBI, while Donadio was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Lundy finished 2-for-3 with a run scored with Stampfl and Baker each having a hit and an RBI.
The series between the Rams and Blackbirds concludes on Sunday with a noon doubleheader, with the first game being a seven-inning contest, followed by a nine-inning game.
