Baseball Kicks Off 2018 Season in South Carolina

Bronx, N.Y. - (February 15, 2018) - The Fordham baseball team kicks off its 2018 season this weekend, as the Rams travel to Spartansburg, South Carolina for a round robin weekend, hosted by Wofford and USC Upstate.  Fordham begins the weekend with a noon contest against Evansville, followed by a Saturday match-up at Wofford and a Sunday showdown at USC Upstate.  This is the second time Fordham has opened the season down in Spartansburg, having played in this round robin weekend in 2014.
 
Probable Starters/Game Coverage
Friday: Fordham - RHP Reiss Knehr vs. RHP Austin Allinger // Live Stats | Live Video | Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
Saturday: Fordham - RHP Ben Greenberg vs. LHP Austin Higginbotham // Live Stats | Live Video | Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
Sunday: RHP Mike Cowell vs. RHP Jordan Marks // Live Stats  | Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
 
Series History
The Rams have met two of their three opponents this weekend previously.  Fordham is 0-1 against Evansville, with the lone contest being a 3-2 loss in 1996 in a game played in Lakeland, Florida.  The Rams have also met Wofford seven times, with the Terriers holding a 4-3 edge.  The last meeting came in 2014, when Wofford came away with a 5-3 win.  Fordham has never played USC Upstate previously.
 
O Captain, My Captain
Senior Ben Greenberg will serve as the Fordham team captain this season.

 
Added Home Game
Just prior to the season opener, Fordham baseball has added an additional home game to the schedule on Wednesday, February 21^st, as the Rams will host the Army Black Knights at Houlihan Park, beginning at 3:00 PM.  The game would be the earliest home opener for the Rams in team history, surpassing the February 26^th home opener in 2013.
 
Preseason Polls
The Atlantic 10 Conference announced its preseason coaches' poll for the 2018 baseball season on February 8th.  Saint Louis is the preseason favorite, earning six first place votes and totaling 157 points, just ahead of VCU, who received three first place votes and 153 points.  Rhode Island was picked third, garnering two first place votes and 146 points, followed by George Mason in fourth at 107 points.  Defending Atlantic 10 champion Davidson was selected fifth with 106 points and two first place votes, followed by George Washington (105), Saint Joseph's (95), Fordham (92), Richmond (67), St. Bonaventure (56), Dayton (46), Massachusetts (26), and La Salle (20).
 
Top of the Rotation
Though last year's top starter Jimmy Murphy is in the Baltimore Orioles' farm system, the Rams aren't lacking for depth in the rotation, led by junior Reiss Knehr, who will step into the top spot for the Rams this season.  Knehr led the Rams with 86 strikeouts over 73.2 innings, while holding opponents to a .231 batting average.  The Rams are also happy to see a healthy Ben Greenberg back on the hill.  The senior hurler missed all of last season with injury, but brings back a career 2.95 ERA and over 120 innings of experience.
 
Super Sophs
Following freshman seasons that saw both earn Freshman All-American honors, sophomore Kyle Martin and Alvin Melendez are both back in the Rams' bullpen.  Martin tied for the team lead in wins with six and made a team-high 23 appearances in 2017 to go with a 2.76 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 32.2 innings.  Melendez notched a team-best six saves and 0.76 ERA to go with three wins in 23.2 innings.
 
Who's Next
The Rams will have their home opener on Wednesday, February 21^st against the Army Black Knights  at 3 PM, and then travel to Tampa next weekend for a three-game series against USF Bulls from February 23-25.