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James and Ephraim made the trip back to Ithaca, New York to see Game 3 of the Fordham-Cornell playoff series. To date, James had not seen Thomas play in a game, but he was hoping for the opportunity today. Fordham returns to see if they can pull off another upset, as they did in Game 1. Cornell, on the other hand, found their stroke in Game 2, scoring 15 runs. The Big Red are anxious for a return to the Collegiate Championship Series, so they can defend their national title. But first, they have to get past the Fordham Rams.

Freddy Salazar is back on the hill for Fordham. Lee Richmond again gets the start for Cornell. It's 61 degrees today and there's rain in the air. The wind is blowing in from left at 10 mph. There are only three empty seats, as 1497 people have braved the weather to see this deciding Game 3.

Fordham doesn't get a hit in the first two innings. Cornell manages one hit, but can't get across the plate. But the Rams' bats come alive in the top of the 3rd inning. Fordham junior Jason Hixon flies out to start the inning. Junior right fielder Jim Kindle comes up next. Kindle starts today's game after making only four starts all season. However, he has a .313 batting average in 16 at bats this year, with four singles and a double. Kindle takes a 1-1 pitch and lines it into right field for a base hit! And Kindle is fast on the bases. On the first pitch of the next at bat, Kindle is off for second. A throwing error by Cornell catcher Jack Rowe gives Kindle third base. Senior catcher Dave Pierson comes through for the Rams, looping a full count pitch into left for a base hit. Kindle scores and Fordham is on the board first. Unfortunately for the Big Red, Pierson is even faster than Kindle on the bases. Pierson steals second and third on two straight pitches!! Senior shortstop and lead off hitter Bill McClellan takes the 2-0 pitch and grounds the ball into the hole at short. He legs it out and gets an infield hit!! Pierson scores from third and it's 2-0 Fordham. McClellan would score the second out on a fielder's choice at second base, putting freshman center fielder Jaheem Cowart on first. Cowart takes off for second and Rowe again sends the ball into center field. With Cowart now on third, Richmond tries to focus on the batter, sophomore second baseman Chris Johnson. But Richmond throws wild and Cowart speeds home to score. Johnson would fly out to end the inning and midway through the 3rd, the Rams lead it, 3-0.

Cornell fails to score in the bottom of the 3rd, and neither team plates a run in the 4th. Pierson leads off the 5th with a base hit. McClellan reaches base on an error and Pierson moves to second. Cowart sacrifices and the runners move to second and third. Johnson flies out for the second out of the inning, but it's deep enough for Pierson to score. Sophomore first baseman David Lippert grounds out to second to end the inning, but Fordham has now extended their lead to 4-0. Cornell freshman second baseman Arturo Lopez leads off the bottom of the 5th with a ground out to second. Leonidas Lee is up next. Lee, a junior, plays center field for the Big Red. In his first full season of play, he started 54 games, but hit a paltry .209. Lee grounds the ball past short and into left, though, to get on base. Lee takes second on a passed ball, then moves to third on Ned Williamson's line drive to left. With DH David Mayeaux at the plate, Williamson takes off for second. It's Pierson's turn to throw the ball into center field, as Lee scores and Williamson goes to third. Cornell is on the board, but still trails 4-1. Mayeaux then lines the ball into the right center gap and Williams scores as Mayeaux records a double. "Big Dan" Brouthers comes up next and grounds the ball into right field. Mayeaux rounds third as Kindle comes up with the ball in right. The throw to the plate and Mayeaux is.....SAFE!!! The next two batters record outs, but at the end of five, Fordham's lead has been trimmed to 4-3.

Fordham goes down in order in the 6th. Rowe leads the bottom half of the frame off with a single. Rowe is sacrificed to second by Lopez. Lee then lines the ball into the gap in left center for a double!! Rowe scores to tie the game. The Big Red don't score again, but at the end of the 6th, the game is knotted at 4-4. The 7th is scoreless, although Cornell Manager Chase Whitehead tries to get things going by pinch hitting for Lopez and Lee. James doesn't understand Whitehead's strategy, as Lee was 2 for 3 in the game. On the bright side, though, Thomas was brought into the game in the top of the 8th to play center field. Fordham manages a hit in the top of the 8th, but can't score a run. Mayeaux leads off the bottom half of the 8th with a double. Brouthers is then intentionally walked. So, with no outs and two on, junior right fielder Micah "Three Finger" Rufo steps up to the plate. Rufo hit .335 this season and doesn't disappoint, looping a single into center to load the bases. Senior left fielder Chris Finnegan, a .308 hitter, comes up and lines the first pitch he sees straight to the shortstop, McClellan. McClellan snags the liner, then quickly snaps the ball to third to double up Mayeaux!!! There are now two outs and runners at first and second. Sophomore shortstop J.D. Ruch steps into the batter's box. A passed ball on the first pitch sends the runners to second and third. Ruch takes the 1-0 pitch and grounds it between first and second. He legs out an infield single. Brouthers scores from third and Cornell takes the lead, 5-4!! Rowe is up next, and he also legs out an infield hit. Rufo scores to make it 6-4 and Salazar's time on the mound is up. Senior relief pitcher Bill Van Buren comes into the game to face junior Pete Pellicci. Pellicci is a shortstop, but came in at the top of the 8th to play second base. Pellicci is hitting .115 for the season in 52 at bats. On the 2-2 pitch, Fordham catcher Pierson is called for catcher's interference. Pellicci takes first and the bases are loaded for freshman center fielder Thomas Herring.

James and Ephraim nearly lost their voices cheering for Thomas. What a moment for the 19 year old Herring. Two outs and the bases loaded, with his team up 6-4 in the deciding game of a playoff series. Herring only hit .192 this season, getting 26 at bats in 15 games. He works the count to 2-2, then grounds the ball down the line in left field. Ruch, Rowe, and Pellicci all score, as Herring gets to second for the three run double!!! Herring would end up stranded at second, as the last out is recorded two batters later, but the Cornell home crowd gave him a standing ovation as he trotted off the field. James beamed with a pride only a parent could understand, his eyes welling up with tears. Ephraim hugged his dad, equally proud of his little brother's accomplishment. Richmond comes out to the mound and makes quick work of three Fordham batters. Cornell wins the game, 9-4, and takes the series, two games to one. The Big Red will now travel to Villanova, Pennsylvania to defend their title against the Wildcats.