Bronx, N.Y. – (April 12, 2023) – Sparked by a nine-run fourth inning, the Columbia Lions surged past the Fordham Rams, 16-9, in baseball action at Houlihan Park on Wednesday afternoon.
Columbia (17-11) opened the scoring with a two-run home run by Andy Blake in the first inning, his seventh of the season.
The Rams answered with nine runs over their first three at-bats, beginning with a leadoff home run to right by
Ryan Thiesse, his third of the season. It is the second time this year that he has led off a game with a home run.
Fordham then scored four times in the second for a 5-2 lead. The Rams loaded the bases on two walk and a hit by pitch with one out. After a fielder's choice,
Daniel Bucciero knocked in two runs with a single to left.
Tommy McAndrews then lined a two-run triple to right to close out the scoring in the inning.
The Rams added four more runs in the third inning to go up 9-2, scoring a run on a bases loaded walk to Thiesse and a bases clearing double to left center by Bucciero.
Columbia came all the way back to take an 11-9 lead in the fourth inning, sending 12 batters to the plate. The biggest damage of the inning was a grand slam home run to right by Seth Dardar, his seventh of the season, which put Columbia ahead.
The Lions then added three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth for the 16-9 final score.
Fordham was stymied by the Lions' bullpen after the third inning, managing just two hits over the final six innings.
Aric Berg (3-2) took the loss allowing five earned runs on four hits. At the plate, Bucciero was 2-for-4 with a double and a season-high five RBI, while McAndrews was 3-for-5 with a triple and two RBI. Thiesse finished 1-for-3 with a home run, three runs scored, and two RBI.
Cian Sahler was also 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Friday, April 14
th, when the Rams open a three-game Atlantic 10 series against George Washington, starting at 3:00 PM.
