Bronx, N.Y. – Behind an offensive barrage in game one and some stellar bullpen work in game two, the Fordham Rams completed a baseball sweep of the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds on Sunday at Houlihan Park, winning game one, 11-7 in seven innings and game two by a score of 5-2 in nine innings.
With the sweep, Fordham improved to 22-22 on the year, while LIU Brooklyn fell to 17-24.
In game one, LIU Brooklyn scored a run in the top of the first inning, but the lead quickly vanished as the Rams scored four times in the bottom of the frame for a 4-1 lead. With two outs and a runner at third,
Luke Stampfl ripped a double down the left field line to score
Billy Godrick from second.
Justin Bardwell followed with a double down the right field line to score Stampfl for a 2-1 lead. After
Alvin Melendez was hit by a pitch,
Jason Lundy lined a single to left, scoring Bardwell. On the play, the leftfielder mishandled the ball, allowing Melendez to score on the play as well, making it a 4-1 score.
The Blackbirds quickly answered with a three-run second inning, highlighted by a two-run home run by Harrison Preschel, tying the game at four.
The score remained that way until the fourth, when Fordham exploded for five runs and a 9-4 lead. Lundy started the inning with a single and stole second. After he was sacrificed to third,
Pat Gardner singled through the left side to score Lundy to regain the lead. One out later, Godrick doubled to left, moving Gardner to third with two outs.
Mark Donadio then blasted a three-run home run to left for his third of the season, which was quickly followed by a solo home run by Stampfl for back-to-back home runs. It was Stampfl's team-leading fifth of the season.
The Rams tacked on two more runs in the fifth on a two-run double by
Matthew Kozuch, scoring Melendez and
Ryan Jennings to make it an 11-4 score.
The Blackbirds would score three runs in the top of the seventh but it would not be enough as the Rams went on for the 11-7 win.
Luke Stampfl had a home run and four RBI in Sunday's doubleheader.
At the plate, Stampfl was 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI, while Lundy was also 2-for-4 with an RBI, a stolen base, a run scored.
Kyle Martin (6-1) earned the win in relief, pitching 2.1 hitless innings with two strikeouts.
In game two, the two teams exchanged runs in the first inning with LIU Brooklyn scoring on an RBI-double by Andrew Turner, while Fordham scored on a wild pitch.
The Blackbirds went back ahead in the third, but Fordham tied the game in the fourth on an RBI-single by Lundy.
The score remained tied at two until the eighth inning, when Fordham scored three times for a 5-2 lead. Kozuch started the rally with a single with Godrick laying down a sacrifice bunt. However, LIU catcher Harrison Preschel threw wide to second base for an error. After a wild pitch advanced the runners, Donadio reached base on an infield single to load the bases. It was Donadio's 200
th career hit, becoming the 15
th Ram to reach that milestone. Another wild pitch ended up scoring Kozuch from third, while Stampfl delivered a two-run double down the left field line, giving the Rams a 5-2 lead.
After scoring two runs in game one, Alvin Melendez recorded his 5th save in game two.
Melendez came in to pitch in the ninth, allowing a pair of hits, but no runs would score, giving Fordham the win and Melendez his fifth save of the season.
Shane McDonald (2-1) earned the win in relief, as he pitched 1.1 hitless innings with a strikeout.
Brandon Martin made the start, allowing two runs on six hits over four innings of work with three strikeouts.
Mike Cowell pitched 2.2 innings of three-hit relief without allowing a run.
At the dish, Lundy was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Donadio was also 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. In addition to the 200-hit milestone, Donadio also played in his 200
th and 201
st game on Sunday, becoming just the fifth Ram to have 200 hits and 200 games played, joining Rich Goulian (2005-08), Danny Leach (2005-09), Brian Kownacki (2009-12), and Joey Runco (2013-16).
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Friday, May 12
th, when the Rams begin a three-game Atlantic 10 series against UMass, starting at 6:00 PM at Houlihan Park.
