BRONX, N.Y. – No. 4 Fordham scored a game-winning run in the fourth inning and then kept zeros on the scoreboard to upset top-seeded VCU, 2-1 in the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship.
Fordham (36-22) advance to the semifinals to face No. 3 Dayton at noon on Friday, while VCU (39-18) will play arch rival Richmond, the fifth seed, Thursday night in an elimination game.
Fordham scored the first run of the game on a single to left that drove in C.J. Vazquez in top of the first inning. VCU responded in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run by Brett Norwood.
Alvin Melendez scored Fordham’s fourth-inning game winner, scoring on an error one batter after reaching on a walk and stealing second.
Despite taking the loss, VCU starting pitcher Connor Gillispie (5-3) pitched a gem, striking out 10 batters and allowed just three hits and one earned run.
John Stankiewicz (8-3) also had a stellar outing, with three hits, five strikeouts and one run to secure the win. Kyle Martin picked up his 10th save of the season, throwing two innings of scoreless ball with four strikeouts.