NEW YORK (Interstat) — Joey Giordano delivered a masterful performance on the mound, and the Richmond Spiders used a decisive three-run eighth inning to edge the Fordham Rams 4-3 in Atlantic 10 Conference baseball on Saturday at Jim Houlihan Park at Jack Coffey Field.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, evened the weekend series after Fordham’s win on Friday. Richmond improved to 12-11 overall, while Fordham moved to 10-11.

Giordano, the top star for Richmond, was dominant for most of his outing. The Spiders’ pitcher carried a no-hit bid into the eighth inning and finished with a final line of 7 2/3 innings pitched, allowing no hits, one unearned run and striking out two. He faced the minimum through four innings, with his only blemish coming in a two-run Fordham fifth that was fueled by Richmond defensive mistakes.

Fordham starter Chase Hanawalt kept the Rams close, scattering five hits over six innings while allowing just one earned run and striking out five. His effort was overshadowed by Giordano’s gem but ensured the game remained tight.

Richmond struck first in the second inning. Jack Scanlon singled and later scored on a two-out double down the right-field line by Chris Schaller. That 1-0 lead held until the bottom of the fifth, when Fordham capitalized on a Richmond error. After Peter Dieguez singled for Fordham’s first hit off Giordano, a sacrifice bunt by Ernie Little and a groundout by Tommy Markey plated two unearned runs to give the Rams a 2-1 advantage.

The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the top of the eighth. Trailing by a run, Richmond’s rally began with a one-out single by Christian Kennedy. After a wild pitch moved him to second, Jordan Johnson Jr. connected on a two-run home run to right field, reclaiming the lead for the Spiders at 3-2. Richmond was not done. Following a pitching change that brought Fordham’s Aric Berg into the game, the Spiders added a crucial insurance run. Pinch-runner Jason Downs scored on an RBI single by Dylan Winebrenner, extending the lead to 4-2.

That run proved vital. In the bottom of the eighth, Fordham mounted a threat after Giordano issued a walk and was relieved by Bijan Anvar. Markey delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-3, but Anvar escaped further damage. He then retired the side in order in the ninth to secure the save and the victory.

The Spiders collected nine hits, led by Winebrenner, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Fordham managed just six hits, with Markey driving in two runs.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 7-4 Fordham victory, though the service’s ELO rating gave Richmond a slight 54% probability to win.

The teams conclude their three-game series on Sunday. Richmond will look to win the series before returning home to face Old Dominion next Wednesday. Fordham aims to rebound before hosting Wagner on Wednesday.