Bronx, N.Y. – (April 20, 2018) – George Washington scored twice in the top of the 11
th inning, while Will Kobos allowed two hits over 2.2 innings of relief, as the Colonials edged the Fordham Rams, 5-3 in 11 innings, at Houlihan Park on Friday.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 22-13-1 overall, 6-4 in the Atlantic 10, while George Washington improved to 21-16 on the year, 7-3 in the league.
The game was a pitcher's duel through the first six innings between Fordham's
Reiss Knehr and George Washington's Jaret Edwards. The Colonials scratched a run across in the first for the only run by either team over the first six-and-a-half innings.
Edwards took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, but it ended on an infield single by
Billy Godrick to start the inning.
Jake MacKenzie then reached base on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt to put the first two runners on. After a sacrifice and a failed squeeze attempt,
C.J. Vazquez got the Rams on the board with a two-run triple to left center, scoring MacKenzie and
Justin Bardwell.
George Washington quickly regained the lead in the top of the eighth inning on a two-out double to left by Dominic D'Alessandro, making it a 3-2 game.
Fordham though would rally in the ninth, as Godrick led off with an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice by MacKenzie.
Matt Tarabek followed with a single through the left side, plating Godrick to tie the game. The Rams then had a chance to win the game, following an infield single by Bardwell and a walk to Vazquez to load the bases. However,
Brian Goulard popped out to short left field with
Alvin Melendez going down on a strikeout to force extra innings.
The Colonials had a chance to regain the lead in the tenth, as with a runner on second and two outs, Colin Brophy singled to shortstop. Tarabek threw to third, where the runner overran the base, but the throw was wide and went off the netting in front of the dugout. Bardwell picked up the ball and tossed home to pitcher
Kyle Martin covering home, who was able to tag out the runner at the plate to end the inning.
Then it was Fordham's chance to win the game with runners at first and second with one out. After a fielder's choice put runners at the corner, Tarabek flew out to center to end the inning.
C.J. Vazquez lines a two-run triple in the 7th.
George Washington would not let the next scoring chance go by, scoring twice in the 11
th on RBI-singles by Steven Barmakian and Mark Osis to go up by a 5-3 count.
The Rams did get the tying run on base in the bottom of the inning, after singles by Vazquez and Goulard, but a fly out and a strikeout ended the game.
For Fordham,
Brian Weissert (1-2) took the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in an inning of relief. Knehr went the first eight innings, giving up three runs on ten hits over eight innings of work. Martin finished with two scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts. At the plate, Vazquez was 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI, while Godrick was 2-for-4 with a run scored. The Rams did not have a stolen base in the game, marking only the second time this season, where Fordham did not have a steal.
The same two teams will match up for game two of the series on Saturday at 2:00 PM.
