George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
<b>FORDHAM</b>
GW Walks-Off With Win in A-10 Opener
3/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 23, 2007
ARLINGTON, VA - Senior Michael Parker's (Newtown, MA/Newton) base-loaded, RBI single into deep right field in the bottom of the tenth inning gave George Washington (8-12, 1-0 A-10) the 7-6 win over Fordham University (7-8, 0-1 A-10) Friday afternoon at Barcroft Park in the beginning of Atlantic 10 Conference play.
After Fordham went three-up, three-down in the top of the tenth, GW had their chance to win the game. Gavin Swanson (Reisterstown, MD/Calvert Hall College) led-off with a walk and advanced to third base on Mickey Shupin's (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) double down the left-field line. The Rams chose to intentionally walk Tom Zebroski (Port Washington, NY/Paul Schreiber) to load the bases with the team-leader in home runs and RBI, Michael Parker, due up next. The starting shortstop drove a single over the right fielder's head that scored Swanson and delivered the Colonials their second extra-innings win of the season.
Sophomore Pat Lehman (Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) pitched a perfect 2 1/3 innings in relief, never allowing a Ram to reach base, as he picked up the win. Lehman (2-2) struck out three of the seven batters he faced. Peter Kennelly (0-1), who surrendered the winning run, was tagged with the loss.
Zebroski, last week's A-10 Co-Rookie of the Week, led the Colonials offensively, finishing the day 3-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored. Shupin and Chris Marsicano (Old Tappan, NJ/Bergen Catholic) both added three hits and one run each.
The win, GW's seventh in their past eight games, improves their all-time record against Fordham to 13-1. The final run driven home by Parker put an end to a back-and-forth affair that saw five lead changes and two ties.
The Colonials were the first to score in the game, when Whitey Wallace (Syracuse, NY/Phillips Exeter Academy) singled up the middle to plate Zebroski and give GW the early 1-0 lead. Fordham rebounded and took the 3-1 lead in the top of the second when they capitalized on a GW throwing error to plate two more runs on two consecutive doubles.
The Colonials responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. After they loaded the bases with one out, Zebroski smashed a single through the left side to score two GW runs. Parker followed with a sacrifice fly to deep center field that allowed Shupin to score from third base.
The slim 4-3 Colonials lead would hold until the top of the fourth, when the Rams tied the game once again. With two outs and runners on first and second, second baseman Eric Reese singled through the right side to push across the tying run.
That 4-4 draw would be short-lived, however. In the bottom of the fourth, Zebroski once again delivered, lining a single into center field that allowed Tim Reeves (Cumming, GA/North Forsyth) to score.
GW added to their 5-4 lead in the seventh inning when designated hitter Chris Marsicano plated Wallace with an RBI-single through the right side.
Fordham responded yet again and tied the game at six runs, this time on a John Mollicone two-run home run, deep to center field. It was then that Lehman entered the game and retired all seven batters he faced.
The two clubs continue their series Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Barcroft Park. The series concludes on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.
- GW -
