NEW YORK (Interstat) — Saint Louis scored five runs in the first inning and held off a late Fordham rally to beat the Rams 7-6 on Sunday in the finale of a three-game Atlantic 10 series at Jim Houlihan Park at Jack Coffey Field.

The Billikens completed a series sweep after winning each of the first two games by scores of 7-2 and 4-0 on Friday. Saint Louis improved to 20-31 overall, while Fordham dropped to 23-29.

Saint Louis sent nine batters to the plate in the top of the first. D. Kleinheide singled and scored on an error after a fielder’s choice by R. Iffrig. Hank Gomric followed with a sacrifice fly that made it 2-0. Chase Beattie then crushed a three-run homer to left field, scoring Iffrig and M. Arnold to give the Billikens a 5-0 lead.

Fordham answered in the bottom of the first. Taylor Kirk singled, moved to third on a Grabau single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Donnelly, cutting the deficit to 5-1.

Andrew homered to right field in the third inning to pull the Rams within 5-2.

Saint Louis extended its lead in the fifth when Gomric hit a solo home run to right field, making it 6-2.

Noah Andrunas started for Saint Louis and pitched six innings, allowing two earned runs on no hits with two strikeouts. The zero-hit line was deceptive: Andrunas yielded a single and a homer but benefited from a double play and solid defense. He left with a 6-2 lead.

Fordham chipped away in the seventh. With Max McGwire on in relief, Ford T. singled, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher, then scored on the same error. Kirk’s groundout plated Markey, cutting the lead to 6-4.

The Rams mounted a major threat in the eighth. Dylan Gormont relieved McGwire and allowed back-to-back singles to Andrew and Donnelly. Madden Ocko, pinch-hitting for Dean, doubled to right center, scoring Andrew and sending Donnelly to third. A sacrifice fly by Young Caden brought home Donnelly, tying the game at 6-6. But the rally ended when Dieguez, the pinch-runner for Ocko, was caught stealing at home.

Saint Louis regained the lead in the top of the ninth. J. Crabbe was hit by a pitch, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Kleinheide and moved to third on a K. Bond single. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Gomric lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Crabbe and ended the inning with the Billikens up 7-6.

Fordham went down in order in the bottom of the ninth. Kirk grounded out, Grabau grounded out and Markey struck out swinging to end the game.

The most important sequence occurred in the top of the first, when Saint Louis’s five-run outburst gave the Billikens a commanding lead that proved necessary to withstand Fordham’s comeback. Beattie’s three-run homer was the decisive blow, and Andrunas’s ability to limit damage through the middle innings kept Fordham from closing the gap sooner.

In addition to Andrunas, Gomric finished 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBIs. Beattie was 1-for-4 with three RBIs. Tommy McAndrews led Fordham at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a home run. Kirk added two hits and an RBI.

Aidan Dowd started for Fordham and took the loss, allowing five earned runs on five hits over six innings with five strikeouts. Robbie Stewart pitched three innings of one-run relief.

Both teams return to conference play this week. Saint Louis hosts Richmond for a three-game series beginning Wednesday. Fordham hosts Hofstra on Tuesday before traveling to Saint Bonaventure for a three-game set starting Thursday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Fordham 5, Saint Louis 3. Interstat’s ELO system gave Saint Louis a 51.90 percent probability to win.