April 20, 2007

Box Score

BRONX, N.Y. - Sophomore Tom Pinnell had three hits and senior Ryan Bird broke a pair of school pitching records, but it was not enough as Saint Louis fell at Fordham 7-4 this afternoon. The Rams (20-15, 9-4 A-10) plated four runs in the bottom of the third and held off a late Billiken (8-30, 4-8 A-10) charge to secure the victory. Bird took the loss but became the SLU record holder in career strikeouts and innings pitched.

The Billikens wasted little time putting runs on the board, capitalizing on a Fordham error, a Pinnell single and a walk to load the bases for Bill Musselman. The senior catcher's ground ball was enough to plate Pinnell from third for an early 1-0 lead. The Rams evened things up in the bottom of the opening inning. Bird issued a walk to Rich Goulian and, after the Rams' shortstop stole second, he came in on Eric Reese's single to center.

Reese also got things going in the bottom of the fourth with a bunt single. John Mollicone drew a one-out walk, and an error plated Reese for a 2-1 Fordham lead. Bobby DiNardo made it a 3-1 margin with a double to left center, and Michael Taddei's single to right pushed the lead to 5-1. Bird got out of the inning with his record-breaking 270th career strikeout and a fly out.

In the top of the fourth, Blake Bratcher followed Musselman's single by ripping a triple to right center, cutting into the Rams' lead. Fordham starter Cory Riordan recorded two of his nine strikeouts to mitigate the damage. Bird worked around trouble in the bottom of the frame after a pair of singles opened the inning and a sacrifice put both runners in scoring position with just one out. Again, a strikeout and a fly out held the Rams at bay.

Saint Louis started a one-out rally in the seventh on L.J. Watson's single to center. He advanced to second on Ryan Bennett's ground ball, and Pinnell made it a 5-3 game with an RBI single to left. The Billikens' second baseman was caught stealing to end the inning.

Facing reliever Mark Zielinski in the seventh, the Rams left a runner in scoring position but broke through for two more runs in the bottom of the eighth. Danny Leach sent a two-out single down the left field line, moving Mike Mobbs to second. The Billikens brought Ziggy Moore in from the bullpen, but a wild pitch put both Rams in scoring position, and Rich Goulian pushed the Fordham lead to 7-3 with a single to center.

The Billikens opened the ninth with a walk and a single against Fordham reliever Peter Kennelly. A passed ball moved the runners up, and Kennelly walked the next to hitters to plate a run for a 7-4 margin. The Rams went back to the bullpen for James Sammut who recorded a strikeout then induced a double play ball to collect his second save of the season.

Riordan improved to 4-3 with the win as he fanned nine and allowed just two earned runs on six hits in eight innings. Bird fell to 0-4 with the loss. Pinnell led all hitters with a game-high three.

The two teams square off again on Sat., April 21, at noon (CT).