Kingston, R.I. – (May 6, 2022) – The Fordham baseball team began its three-game series at Rhode Island on Friday, where the teams split a doubleheader at Bill Beck Field. Fordham took game one by a 5-4 score, while Rhode Island snagged game two, 10-6.
In game one, Fordham opened the scoring right away in the first inning. With one out and one on,
Sebastian Mexico reached on an infield single, while
Zach Selinger reached on an error to load the bases.
Will Findlay then plated
Cian Sahler with a sacrifice fly, while
Andy Semo knocked in Mexico with an RBI-single for a 2-0 lead.
Jake Guercio then doubled the Fordham lead in the top of the fourth inning to 4-0 with a two-run single to left center with the bases loaded, scoring Semo and
Chris Genaro.
After URI netted a run in the fourth, Fordham answered back in the fifth, netting a run on a passed ball to go back up by four, 5-1.
Rhode Island pulled back within three at 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI-single by Addison Kopack, and then made it a 5-3 game in the seventh on Jack Cucinotta's RBI-triple.
It became a 5-4 game in the eighth, when Eric Genther connected on a solo home run to right, his fifth of the season. URI later got two runners on with two outs, but Fordham reliever
Joseph Quintal came out of the bullpen to strike out Calvin McCall to end the threat.
Quintal went on to retire the side in order in the ninth to record his second save of the season.
Gabe Karslo improved to 2-4 on the season, allowing two runs on six hits with two strikeouts over five innings of work.
Trey Maeker pitched 2.2 innings of middle relief, allowing two runs with three strikeouts.
At the plate, Semo finished 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Selinger and
C.J. Vazquez each had a pair of hits.
Andrew Semo
Game two began with Rhode Island taking a 1-0 in the first inning on a solo home run by Kopack, his 12
th of the season.
URI made it 2-0 in the third before Fordham rallied for a six-run fourth inning for a 6-2 lead. After tying the game on a fielder's choice and a bases loaded walk, Semo scored from third on a ground out by Guercio for a 3-2 edge.
David Kale followed with a three-run home run to right center, his third of the season.
Rhode Island got a run back in the bottom of the frame when Anthony DePino connected on a solo home run, his 14
th of the season, while an RBI-single by Eric Genther in the fifth made it a 6-4 game.
Fordham was able to hold at 6-4 until the seventh, where URI scored three times to re-take the lead at 7-6, highlighted by RBI-singles from Joe Fortin and Justin Cherry. URI added three more runs in the eighth for the 10-6 final, which included a two-run home run by Alex Ramirez.
Cian Sahler (2-2) took the loss in relief, giving up three runs on four hits over 1.2 innings.
Cameron Knox went the first five innings, allowing four runs with four strikeouts.
Connor Haywood threw the final 1.1 innings of the game. At the plate, Kale was 1-for-5 with the three-run home run, while Vazquez was 1-for-2 with a double, two walks, and an RBI.
The final game of the series will most likely be on Sunday, as the weather forecast on Saturday calls for rain all day.
