Phoenix, Ariz. – (February 23, 2020) – Despite three relievers throwing eight no-hit innings, a rough first inning cost the Fordham Rams on Sunday afternoon, falling to GCU, 4-3, in the final game of the GCU Classic in Phoenix, Arizona.
The loss drops Fordham to 1-6 on the year, while GCU improved to 5-3.
The Rams started the game with a 2-0 lead in the first inning, taking advantage of control issues by GCU starter Jack Schneider.
Jason Coules led off with a walk and moved to second on a balk call. After a walk to
Billy Godrick,
Matt Tarabek sacrificed the runners to put two in scoring position. Coules then scored on a passed ball with Godrick going to third.
Jake MacKenzie drew the third walk of the inning to put runners at the corners with
Alvin Melendez plating Godrick with a sacrifice fly to right and a 2-0 lead.
GCU then used that same method to score four times in bottom of the first to take a 4-2 lead. GCU drew four walks from Fordham starter
Brian Weissert to go with a two-run single by Brock Burton and an RBI-single by Dominic Grissom to net the four-run inning.
Zach Selinger
However, GCU would not score again, as Fordham's bullpen trio of
Cory Wall,
Gabe Karslo, and
Garrett Crowley combined to throw eight innings of no-hit relief, giving up just two walks to go with seven strikeouts. Wall threw five no-hit innings with six strikeouts, one shy of his career-high, while Karslo tossed two shutout innings in the sixth and seventh with Crowley posting a scoreless eighth.
Fordham got within one in the fifth inning, when Coules blasted a solo home run to left, his second of the year, making it a 4-3 ball game.
The Rams had a chance to tie in the seventh, getting a runner to second with one out, but could not plate the tying run.
Offensively, the Rams had four hits to GCU's three in the contest, led by
Zach Selinger, who was 2-for-3. Coules finished 1-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored, while Melendez was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base.
Fordham is back in action on Tuesday, February 25
th, when the Rams host Sacred Heart at Houlihan Park, beginning at 3:00 PM.