May 13, 2007

Box Score

BRONX, N.Y. - Junior catcher Zach Zaneski (Waterford, Conn.) went 3-for-4 with an RBI as the Rhode Island baseball team dropped a 5-3 decision at Fordham on Sunday afternoon at Houlihan Park. The loss was the third in as many days for the Rams, who entered the weekend series tied with Fordham for third place in the Atlantic 10. Rhody now sits in fifth place in the league, behind Xavier (fourth place), Fordham (third place), Richmond (second place) and Charlotte (first place).

Fordham took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third and URI evened the score in the top of the fourth as senior Scott Brown (Portland, Maine) led off with a double down the right field line and later crossed the plate on a Gregg Allen (Dighton, Mass.) sac-fly to center field.

Fordham picked up another run in the bottom of the inning, but Rhody cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the fifth when junior Mike O'Malley (Nashua, N.H.) crushed a triple to center field and then scored on a throwing error by Fordham shortstop Rich Goulian.

Fordham went up, 4-2, in the bottom of the seventh and URI continued to chip away at the lead with another run in the top of the eighth inning. On his third hit of the game, Zaneski plated senior Eric Larson (Bradenton, Fla.) with an RBI single to right field. However, that would be as close as URI would get as Fordham went on to score again in the bottom of the inning and silenced the Rhody bats in the top of the ninth for the 5-3 victory.

Senior Adam Perkins (Hudson, N.H.) was charged with the loss after giving up seven hits and four runs (three earned) with four strikeouts in seven innings of work. Fordham's Javier Martinez earned the win, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out seven batters in as many innings on the mound. Closer Chris Kaible earned his first save of the season, shutting down the URI offense in the top of the ninth.

Rhode Island will return to action on Tuesday, May 15, with a 3:00 p.m. make-up game at Hartford. The game was originally scheduled for March 21, but was postponed due to inclement weather.