MERION STATION, Pa. – Deon Stafford, Jr., matched his own school record with three home runs on Friday afternoon as the Saint Joseph's baseball team held on for a key 7-6 victory over Fordham at Smithson Field.
Stafford upped his league-leading total to 17 on the season, extending his own school record for home runs in a season. John Brue added a solo shot of his own to match his career high with 13 on the year and extend his all-time record to 28 career home runs.
Fordham (26-24 overall, 12-7 Atlantic 10) took an early lead courtesy of a first-inning two-run home run from Ryan McNally. Stafford cut the deficit in half with his first longball of the day in the bottom half of the inning.
Saint Joseph's (26-19 overall, 12-7 Atlantic 10) went ahead in the bottom of the second. After consecutive singles by Charlie Concannon and Matt Maul to lead off the frame, Cal Jadacki singled through the right side to bring home Concannon. Jadacki and Maul advanced to second and third, respectively, on the throw to the plate, which allowed Maul to score on a go-ahead sacrifice fly by Brian Lau.
Lucas Rollins retired nine consecutive batters at one points, but the Rams hung a three-spot on the board in the fifth to regain the lead. With two down in the inning, Matthew Kozuch singled and Joseph Runco was hit by a pitch. McNally walked to load the bases for Mark Donadio, who drew a walk of his own to tie the game. Luke Stampfl followed with a single to left to plate a pair and give the Rams a 5-3 lead.
The edge would be short-lived, however, as Marc Giacalone drew a one-out walk and Stafford hit his second home run of the game to one of the deepest parts of the ballpark in center field, bringing the teams level after five innings.
Rollins settled in and faced the minimum over the next two innings, setting the stage for Stafford and Brue to go back-to-back with one out in the seventh to give the Hawks a 7-5 lead.
The margin held until the ninth, when Justin Aungst ran into trouble by hitting Ian Edmiston and walking Jason Lundy to start the inning. Ryan Kelly came on and fanned Ryan Mahoney and Kozuch in succession, but a passed ball put runners on second and third with two out. Edmiston then came in to score on a wild pitch, but Runco grounded out to second to end the ballgame.
Rollins earned the win to improve to 4-4. He allowed five runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out two, in seven innings. Reiss Knehr took the loss for Fordham, falling to 2-2 after allowing the home runs to Stafford and Brue. Kelly recorded his seventh save of the season, tying him for the second-most in a single season in program history.
The teams return to Smithson Field on Saturday for the second game of the series. First pitch is set for noon.
