MERION STATION, Pa. – The Saint Joseph's baseball team put in a long day at Smithson Field on Sunday, but it was all worth it in the end as the Hawks earned two wins against Fordham.  In the opener, Colton Book turned in another outstanding performance on the mound while the offense came alive in the seventh inning in a 5-2 win; in the second game, seven runs across the seventh and eighth innings brought the Hawks back from a six-run deficit to stun the Rams, 11-10.
 
GAME 1: Saint Joseph's 5, Fordham 2
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Saint Joseph's (16-17 overall, 10-5 Atlantic 10) took the lead in the bottom of the fourth after Blake Primrose hit a two-out double and Tim Dickinson followed with an RBI single.
 
• The Rams went ahead in the top of the fifth after Madden Ocko singled to give the visitors their first baserunner of the game and Tommy McAndrew followed with a two-run home run.
 
• For the second day in a row, the seventh inning would prove pivotal for SJU.  Alex Kelsey started the frame with a 12-pitch at bat, eventually drawing a leadoff walk.  He then advanced to third on a double to right by Carson Applegate; two batters later, both scored on a go-ahead double by Owen Petrich.
 
• Two batters later, Dickinson fisted a bloop double into left to score Petrich before Dean Bergmann ripped a single up the middle to score Dickinson for a 5-2 lead.
 
• Colton Book held the lead through the eighth before Luke Parise came in from the bullpen and secured the final three outs.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Book tossed a career-high eight innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out 10 and not allowing a walk for his Atlantic 10-leading sixth win of the season.  Parise threw a scoreless ninth for his second save.
 
• Beau Elson took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits and a walk in two and a third innings in relief of Mike Rabayda, who allowed a run on right hits in five and two-thirds innings.
 
• Book retired the first 13 batters of the game before allowing hits to three consecutive batters in the fifth; he then sent down the next nine Fordham hitters in order.
 
• Dickinson collected three hits, while Kelsey and Primrose had two apiece.  Dickinson and Petrich each drove in a pair of runs as well.
 
GAME 2: Saint Joseph's 11, Fordham 10
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Fordham (15-21 overall, 7-8 Atlantic 10) took the lead in the first on a single by Ocko, but the Hawks went ahead in the bottom of the second.  Primrose walked and Dickinson singled before a walk to Aidan Duda loaded the bases.  Michael Pierson followed with a single to score two and put SJU on top.
 
• The Rams answered in the third as Andrew Kanellis led off with a home run; back-to-back RBI singles by Taylor Kirk and Daniel Bucciero gave the Rams a 4-2 lead after four.
 
• Joey Pagano hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Rams added three in the sixth on a fielding error, a single by Matt Dieguez, and a sacrifice fly by Ocko.  Fordham added three more with two outs in the seventh on a double steal and a single by Kanellis.
 
• Saint Joseph's cut into the deficit in the bottom of the seventh as Pagano walked and Petrich singled; two batters later, Dickinson singled them home to make it a 10-6 game.
 
• The Hawks left it one inning later this time, as the eighth inning proved consequential, and again it was Kelsey leading off with a walk to start the rally.  Applegate was hit by a pitch before Pagano walked to load the bases with nobody out and induce a pitching change.  After a double play ball brought in a run, Primrose followed with a double to right center to make it a 10-8 game.
 
• The Rams' defense faltered at this point as Dickinson reached on a fielding error that allowed Primrose to score and Duda reached on a throwing error that put the go-ahead run on base.  Pierson followed with a double down the left field line to score Dickinson and tie the game before Joey Gale was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Kelsey then hit a ground ball down the first base line that ate up the defender, allowing Duda to score and put the Hawks on top.
 
• The Rams would get the tying run aboard with one out in the ninth, but after a fielder's choice, Duda fired a strike down to second to catch Bucciero stealing to end the game.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Matt Fitzgibbon tossed a scoreless eighth inning for the win, while Sam Greer earned the save with a scoreless ninth.  Koen Smith took the loss after allowing three unearned runs on two hits in one inning.
 
• Neither starter figured into the decision; Nathan Stein worked five and a third innings and allowed six earned runs for SJU, while Chase Hanawalt allowed three runs in five innings.
 
• Dickinson was 3-for-4 once again, totaling six hits for the day, to go with three runs scored and two RBI in the nightcap.  Pagano and Primrose scored twice as well, with Primrose and Pierson driving in two runs apiece.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks host Davidson in a key Atlantic 10 series beginning Thursday.  Both teams are among five tied for first place at the midpoint of the conference season.