KNAPP CREEK, N.Y. (Interstat) — Fordham erupted for 21 runs on 24 hits Friday afternoon at Fred Handler Park, crushing Saint Bonaventure 21-2 in an Atlantic 10 game that featured a seven-run seventh inning and a dominant start from pitcher Aidan Dowd.

The Rams, who had lost the series opener 8-5 on Thursday, responded emphatically. Dowd pitched six innings, allowing no hits and two earned runs while striking out two. He retired the first 11 batters he faced before Antonio Cordeiro homered to left field in the second inning for the Bonnies’ first run. Dowd’s performance marked a bounce-back after he yielded five earned runs in a loss to Saint Louis on May 10. He matched his six-inning, zero-hit outing from a May 3 start at Rhode Island, though that game ended in a 1-5 loss.

Fordham took a 1-0 lead in the first when Joey Donnelly singled to right field, scoring Andrew Tom, who had doubled. The Rams added three runs in the second inning. Tim Ford led off with a solo home run to left field. Tom Markey singled and later advanced on a sacrifice bunt before the inning ended with Fordham leading 2-0. The score was updated later as the Rams continued to build.

The game’s most decisive sequence unfolded in the third inning. After Anthony Grabau singled and advanced on a groundout, Mason Dean homered to right field, a three-run shot that scored Grabau and pinch runner Ocko Madden. That pushed Fordham’s lead to 5-1. Dean finished 4 for 6 with four RBIs and a home run, one of two long balls by the Rams.

Saint Bonaventure answered with a run in the second on Cordeiro’s solo homer. But the Bonnies mustered only six hits total, including a solo homer by Manuel Castro in the seventh. Castro went 3 for 4 with an RBI.

Fordham broke the game open in the fourth. After a pitching change, Ernie Little singled, Kirk Taylor singled, and Grabau doubled to right center, driving in two runs. Grabau advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Donnelly’s double. The Rams led 9-1 after four innings.

The fifth inning added two more runs. Little singled up the middle with the bases loaded, scoring Tim Ford and Markey Tom. Little stole second but was left stranded as the Rams extended the lead to 11-1.

Fordham’s offense continued to roll in the sixth. Donnelly walked, stole second, and scored on Dean’s single. Dean then stole second and advanced on a walk, eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly by Little, making it 13-1.

The seventh inning was the biggest of the game. Fordham sent 14 batters to the plate and scored seven runs on five hits, two walks, and three hit by pitches. Grabau was hit by a pitch to lead off, then Tom doubled him home. Tom scored on Donnelly’s single. After another hit batter, Ford singled to left, scoring Donnelly. Pinch hitter Matt Dieguez was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Little singled through the right side, driving in Madden. Grabau was hit again to force in a run, and a wild pitch scored Dieguez. Tom singled up the middle for two more RBIs. The Rams led 20-1 after seven innings.

Fordham added its final run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Carson Chavez that scored pinch hitter Jack Rubin.

Saint Bonaventure managed a run in the seventh on Castro’s solo homer off reliever Ryan Egan. The Bonnies had a threat in the eighth when they loaded the bases with two outs, but Joey Calabretti grounded out to end the inning.

Gilbert Saunders pitched 1.1 innings of relief for the Bonnies, allowing one hit and no earned runs with two strikeouts.

The victory improved Fordham’s record to 24-30 overall and 13-19 in the Atlantic 10. Saint Bonaventure fell to 13-35 and 6-25.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Fordham 4, Saint Bonaventure 0 prior to the game. Interstatl’s ELO system gave Fordham a 61.00 percent probability to win.