Bronx, N.Y. – (May 9, 2025) – Fordham's
Matt Dieguez recorded the game-tying RBI in the eighth inning as well as the game-winning RBI in extra innings, as the Rams walked off with a 6-5 win over the Dayton Flyers on Friday night at Houlihan Park.
The win puts Fordham (22-28, 12-13 A-10) back in playoff position with a three-way tie for sixth place with Dayton and George Washington.
The game started with a bang as with two on in the first inning,
Anthony Grabau crushed a three-run home run to right center for his seventh home run of the season and a 3-0 Fordham lead. The Rams added a run in the third inning to make it, 4-0.
Daniel Bucciero reached on an infield single, stole second, and scored on a single by
Andrew Kanellis.
Dayton bounced back with a four-run fourth inning to tie the game. Mason Dobie connected on an RBI-single, while Bobby Stang hit a three-run home run, his eighth of the year.
The Flyers then grabbed a 5-4 lead in the seventh, picking up an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Dynerson Wouters.
Fordham answered back in the eighth inning, as Kanellis was hit by a pitch with two outs and moved to second on a wild pitch. After a walk to Grabau,
Matt Dieguez doubled off the right field wall to score Kanellis, but Grabau was thrown out at the plate to end the rally, tied at five.
The game went into extra innings after Fordham stranded the game-winning run at third in the ninth. In the tenth, Dayton threatened with second and third and no one out, but
Beau Elson was able to get three ground balls and turn them into three outs without a run scoring. The Rams then took advantage of some wildness by Dayton reliever Jackson Judy, who hit Bucciero with a pitch, let Kanellis reach on an infield single, and then intentionally walked Grabau. Dieguez then worked an 0-2 count into a bases loaded walk, forcing in Bucciero for the game-winning run.
Elson improved to 6-2 for Fordham, throwing three scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits in that span. Starter
Mike Rabayda was solid over the first seven innings, allowing four earned runs and recording a season-high nine strikeouts. At the plate, Grabau was 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, two walks, and three RBI, while Kanellis and
Taylor Kirk each had two hits with Dieguez having two RBI.
Game two of the series is set for 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 10
th. The Rams will celebrate Senior Day, prior to the game, with that ceremony slated for 1:30 PM.
