Richmond, Va. – (March 28, 2025) – For the third time in the last four games, the Fordham baseball team rallied in the late innings on Friday, scoring nine times in the ninth inning to secure a 13-9 win over the Richmond Spiders at Pitt Field in Richmond, Virginia.
The Rams (12-14, 5-2 A-10) got off to a great start in the first inning, as with two on and two outs,
Anthony Grabau connected on a three-run home run to right, his second of the season.
Richmond (21-5, 4-3 A-10) responded with a couple of solo home runs in the bottom of the first and third innings to make it 3-2. Phil Bernstein hit a solo home run to right in the first, while Connor Larson had a solo home run to left in the third.
The Spiders then tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a first and third steal, where the throw home was in time, but the ball popped out of the glove on the tag, leaving the runner safe.
Richmond grabbed a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth, receiving RBI-singles from Bernstein and Jordan Jaffe, as well as an RBI-groundout by Brady O'Brien.
The Rams closed to within two at 6-4 in the top of the seventh, when
Taylor Kirk launched a solo home run to left center, his first of the season. Richmond answered with a two-run home run by Jaffe in the bottom of the frame to go up 8-4. It was Jaffe's seventh of the year.
The Fordham bats then exploded in the ninth, scoring nine times to take a 13-8. The incredible ninth inning began with a walk and a two-run home run by
Tommy McAndrews, his second of the season, making it 8-6.
Tommy Markey and Kirk followed with back-to-back singles, putting the tying runs aboard.
Cian Sahler then hit a soft grounder to the pitcher, which the pitcher threw wide of second base, allowing all runners to be safe with no outs.
Daniel Bucciero dunked an RBI-single into right center to pull the Rams within one, while
Andrew Kanellis punched a two-run single through the left side for the 9-8 lead. After a ground out put runners at second and third, Bucciero scored on a wild pitch with
Matt Dieguez reaching on a walk.
Chase Hanawalt then capped the scoring with a three-run home run to center, his first of the season, to make it 13-8.
Richmond did score a run in the ninth on a solo home run by Jack Arcamone for the 13-9 final.
Robbie Stewart (2-1) earned the win in relief, allowing two runs on four hits over four innings with three strikeouts, while starter
Aidan Dowd went the first four innings plus with
Koen Smith pitching the ninth. At the plate, Hanawalt was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored, while Kirk was 2-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored. Dieguez and Markey each had two hits with McAndrew and Kanellis driving in two runs each.
Game two of this series is set for Saturday at 1:00 PM.
