Bronx, N.Y. (May 3, 2006)- Manhattan staged a furious rally in the ninth inning, scoring twice and getting the go-ahead run to the first with two out, but fell short, dropping an 8-6 decision to Fordham in the Battle of the Bronx game at Houlihan Park on the Fordham campus.
The Jaspers mood went from high to low in the opening inning, as Manhattan scored a run in the top of the first on an a RBI double from
Matt Rizzotti, but gave up the lead in the bottom of the frame, as two Jasper errors led to three Rams runs.
Fordham would tack on three more runs in the second, chasing Manhattan starter
Mike Gazzola. Rookie
Rene Guerra came on in relief with the bases loaded and none out in the bottom of the second, but worked out the jam and twirled 3.2 innings of relief, allowing one earned run, a fourth inning tally to increase the Ram lead to 7-1.
Manhattan began to cut into in the fifth, loading the bases with none out. After a walk to
Nick Derba forced in a run, the game was halted due to rains, and delayed 1:21 before picking up where the game had been suspended, with the bases loaded, none out, and
Mike Garcia at bat.
Garcia re-started the game by drawing a walk to score
Nunzio Franzese, before the Ram's committed an error on a potential double-play ball, allowing the third run of the inning to score, but the rally ended as a strikeout and a double-play groundout ended the threat.
Fordham would score a single run in the bottom of the frame to make the score 8-4, and the score remained that way going into the ninth.
In the ninth, with one away, a walk, a single, and a hit batsman loaded the bases. A
Pat Reynolds RBI groundout scored
John Fitzpatrick before consecutive hit batsmen, the fifth and sixth of the night for Fordham, put the tying run in scoring position, with the go-ahead run at first with two out. Unfortunately for Manhattan the next batter fouled out to first to end the game, which totaled 4:33 in length.
Manhattan is next in action this weekend, traveling to Lawrenceville, N.J. to play a crucial three-game MAAC series at conference leading Rider. The two teams will play a double header on Saturday, beginning at noon, before finishing the series on Sunday.
