RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? The Manhattan College baseball team (1-7) dropped a 9-2 decision this afternoon to cross-town rival Fordham (1-5) at Houlihan Park. Fordham right fielder P.J. Como accounted for three RBIs, three runs and a home run to lead the Rams to their first victory of the season. Jaspers right-hander Zac Goyer was credited the loss allowing three earned runs over 4.2 innings of work in his second start of the 2008 campaign.
Fordham got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when second baseman Eric Reese tripled to center scoring Rich Goulin who singled earlier in the inning. Goulian was 2-3 in the contest and knocked in a pair of RBIs.
The Jaspers evened the game at 1-1 in the third courtesy of a Mark Onorati single up the middle. Senior outfielder Eric Nieto scored on the hit after taking a walk in the top of the inning.
Fordham jumped out to a 5-1 lead after scoring two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Four walks and a single resulted in the Rams runs in the fifth, and then a two-run single from Goulian in the sixth scored Danny Leach and Como.
Manhattan senior Marc Giordano blasted a solo home run in the seventh, but the Rams answered back in the bottom half of the inning with four more runs. Fordham's pitching staff eventually closed out the contest to secure the victory.
John Young earned the victory on the mound allowing just one run and two hits over four innings of middle relief. Young also notched two strikeouts.
Osmani Sanchez, Ruben Perez and Chad Salem also posted hits for Manhattan in the losing effort.
The Jaspers return to action on Friday opening a three game set at UMBC. Game time is set for 5 p.m.
