Bronx, N.Y. – (April 21, 2024) – After tying a carer-high with five RBI on Saturday, Fordham's
Daniel Bucciero checked off another career first on Sunday, hitting both a leadoff home run and a walk-off home run in the same game to lead the Rams to a 5-4 win over the Saint Louis Billikens at Houlihan Park.
With the win, Fordham picked up its third conference series win, improving its record to 7-5 in the Atlantic 10 and 16-22 overall.
Fordham got the ball rolling early, as the first four Rams reached base on hits, starting with a leadoff home run to left by
Daniel Bucciero, his fifth of the season. After back-to-back infield singles by
Ryan Thiesse and
Andrew Kanellis,
Cian Sahler ripped a double to the right field wall to score Thiesse and extend his hit streak to 15 games and give Fordham a 2-0 edge.
The Rams made it 3-0 in the third, as
Tommy McAndrews doubled with one out and moved to third on a single by
Madden Ocko. One out later,
Henry Pelinski singled up the middle to score McAndrews from third.
Saint Louis got on the board in the fourth on a solo home run to center by Drew Winters, his seventh of the season.
The Billikens used the long ball again in the sixth to take a 4-3 lead, as Graham Mastros connected on a three-run home run to left for his fifth of the year.
Then in the ninth,
Chris Genaro blooped a one-out single to right, putting the tying run on base with Bucciero coming to the plate. Bucciero then greeted new reliever Evan Gray with a two-run walk-off home run to left for the 5-4 win.
Bucciero finished the game 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI to lead the offense, while
Aric Berg (5-4) earned his fifth relief win of the season, pitching three scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Fordham will finish its five-game homestand on Wednesday, April 24
th, when the Rams host FDU for a 3:00 PM start at Houlihan Park.
