Baseball Signs Three to National Letters of Intent

The Fordham baseball team has three new additions to its program starting next season, it was announced Monday by Head Coach Kevin Leighton. Joining the Rams for the 2016 are catcher Justin Bardwell (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills), pitcher/infielder Reiss Knehr (Glen Head, N.Y./St. Dominic's) and pitcher/infielder Mike Cowell (Shelton, Conn./Shelton).
 
"I am very excited to have these three players sign NLI's with us this year and feel that each will fit into our program and university well," said Leighton
 

Bardwell is a 5-10 catcher from Chino Hills, California, where is a three-year starter for the varsity baseball team at Chino Hills High School.  He was an All-Sierra League selection as a junior after hitting .353 with ten doubles, two home runs, and 21 RBI.  He ranked fourth in the league in RBI, while his .614 slugging percentage finished sixth in the league, as he helped lead Chino Hills to the 2014 Sierra League Championship.  He is a two-time Perfect Game Underclass All-American Honorable Mention selection in 2013 and 2014, and will serve as the team captain at Chino Hills in 2015.

For summer ball, Bardwell has played with SGV Arsenal for four seasons under coach Mike Vierra.  He served as the starting catcher for the USA 15U Junior Olympic Championship Team with SGV Arsenal, which ended in a team championship.  In the classroom, he is an honors student, ranking in the top 15% of his class.
 
Leighton on Bardwell – "Justin comes to us from a very strong summer league program (SGV Aresenal) and high school program.  He's a very good defensive catcher in all areas: receiving, blocking, and throwing.  I am confident he will handle our pitching staff very well in the future."
 

Knehr is a 6-2 pitcher/infielder from Glen Head, N.Y., where he is a member of the varsity baseball team at St. Dominic's High School.  He was an All-League performer in baseball, as well as earning All-League honors in both soccer and basketball.  For summer ball, he played for the Long Island Whalers.
 
A member of the honor roll and the principal's list, Knehr has earned academic bronze medals in physics and trigonometry.
 
Leighton on Knehr – "Reiss is a big, strong, athletic young man, who has the ability to play anywhere in the infield and pitch.  His fastball has been up to 90 and he has a very good breaking ball.  Reiss also swings the bat from the left side and has good power. "
 

Cowell, a 6-0 pitcher/infielder from Shelton, Connecticut, is a four-year member of the varsity baseball team at Shelton High School, where he will serve as a team co-captain as a senior.  He helped the team to the 2012 Class LL Baseball State Championship and was selected to 2013 Southern Connecticut Conference All-Academic Team.   At the plate, he has batted over .300 in each of the past two seasons, while having an over .400 on-base percentage, while on the hill, he has a combined 7-4 record with a 2.25 ERA over those two years.   For his efforts with the team, he has received the Herb Johnson Award (2012), the Unsung Hero Award (2013), and the Ed Moracco Memorial Award (2014)
 
This past summer, while playing for the Technique Tigers, Cowell had a stellar season, hitting .431  with a .553 on-base percentage, while posting a 6-2 record on the mound.  In the classroom, he is a member of the high honor roll and the Foreign Language National Honors Society, and received the 2014 US Army Reserve Scholar-Athlete Award.
 
Leighton on Cowell – "Like Knehr, Mike has the potential to be a two-way player for us.  He has shown an upper 80's fastball and a sharp curveball.  In the infield, he has shown solid defensive skills and has the ability to swing the bat for average."