April 18, 2008
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle University Baseball team was bested by the long ball on Friday afternoon, as Fordham hit four solo home runs to take the first game of the three-game Atlantic 10 Conference series, 7-2, at Hank DeVincent Field.
Three of those round trippers were hit by Ram first baseman Bobby DiNardo, one shy of the Fordham record for home runs in a single game. His second-inning shot over the center field fence opened the scoring for the Rams - giving them a 1-0 lead.
In the fourth, they pushed two more across the plate on an RBI single by Alex Kenny, which scored Ryan David, who laced a one-out double down the left field line. Four batters later, Chris Kaible was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in Kenney.
La Salle responded with two in the bottom of the frame to cut its deficit to 3-2. With one out, John Rickards singled through the left side - the first hit allowed by Fordham starter Tom Davis - and a Ram error put runners on the corners for RJ Hollinshead.
The left fielder smacked a double to left center, scoring Rickards and TJ Chism moved to third. Mike Dertouzos hit a grounder to second to bring in Chism, and the Explorers trailed by one.
However, DiNardo led off the top of the fifth with another home run - this one to left field. In the seventh, he hit an almost identical shot to center as his second inning home run, but this one caromed off the fence and he raced around the bases for an inside-the-park homer, which put the Rams up 6-2.
Fordham (20-16-1, 6-7 A-10) got a strong outing from Davis, who went eight innings, allowed just four hits, and one earned run as he improved to 5-2 on the season.
Joe Vincent, in his first career start, threw a career-high 6.2 innings and struck out a career-high tying five batters, but suffered the loss and is now 0-3. Caolan Ronan did not allow a hit in the final 2.1 innings and struck out one.
Two streaks also ended in the game. Justin Handler could not extend his career-long hitting streak, which reached 11 games, and John Malloy did not reach base for the first time this season (32 games).
La Salle (7-29, 2-11 A-10) and the Rams will continue the series Saturday with a 12 PM start - a change from the original start time.
