MERION STATION, Pa. – Jake MacKenzie's two-out home run in the top of the 11th inning led Fordham past the Saint Joseph's baseball team, 8-7, at Smithson Field on Saturday afternoon.
After leading for most of the game, the Hawks trailed, 7-6, heading into the ninth. Kadar Namey then led off the ninth with his sixth home run of the year to tie the game. Matt Maul would later reach second, but was stranded there to send the game into extra innings.
In the top of the 11th, Jake Baker led off with a single but was doubled off after a sliding catch by Brendan Hueth. Unfortunately for the Crimson and Gray, MacKenzie worked the count full before hitting a solo shot to left that put the Rams on top.
Mike Cowell then came on and retired the Hawks in order to finish off the ballgame.
For the second day in a row, Fordham (26-14-1 overall, 9-5 Atlantic 10) took the lead in the first inning, as Billy Godrick led off with a double and eventually came in on a single by Brian Goulard.
Saint Joseph's (16-22 overall, 4-11 Atlantic 10) took the lead in the second. James McConnon led off with a single before a one-out double by Langston Livingston left runners on second and third for Marc Giacalone, who tied the game with an RBI single.
Namey hit into a fielder's choice for his first of three runs batted in on the day, beating out a relay throw to keep the inning alive and allow Livingston to score the go-ahead run. He then stole second base, which allowed him to score on a Hueth single and put the Hawks ahead 3-1.
The Rams would put two on with nobody out in the fifth, but Tim Brennan helped his own cause with a head-up defensive play to cut down the lead runner on a sacrifice attempt before notching a strikeout and inducing a ground ball to end the threat.
Charlie Concannon extended the lead in the fifth, launching his fourth home run of the year into the bullpens in right field for a 4-1 advantage.
The Hawks tacked on two more in the bottom of the sixth. Giacalone's one-out triple scored Livingston, who had singled in the inning, before a single by Namey brought home Giacalone for a 6-1 SJU lead.
The tables turned in the eighth, however, as Fordham sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs to take a 7-6 lead. The Rams went ahead despite notching just two hits thanks to five walks and a hit batsman in the inning.
Kyle Martin then struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth before Ryan Devine retired the side in the top half of the ninth to set up Namey's game-tying home run.
Brian Weissert notched the win after walking two and striking out two in an inning of shutout relief. Devine took the loss, allowing one run on three hits and fanning two in three and a third innings. Cowell's save was his first of the season.
The teams will play the series finale at Smithson Field on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
