Bronx, N.Y. – (March 6, 2018) – After taking two out of three at James Madison this weekend, the Fordham baseball team is back in local action for its mid-week contest, taking on the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds. The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday at LIU Brooklyn, but due to the weather forecast, the game has moved to Tuesday at 3:00 PM at Fordham's Houlihan Park.
Probable Starters/Game Coverage
Fordham - RHP
Anthony DiMeglio (0-0, 6.75) vs. LIU Brooklyn LHP Sal Ferro (0-0, 33.75 ERA) //
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Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
Series History
The Rams and Blackbirds have had a longstanding series history, dating back to the first match-up in 1934. Fordham has gotten the better of LIU Brooklyn, winning 39 of the previous 54 meetings (39-15) and 16 of the last 17 outings. The two squads played a three-game series last year with Fordham sweeping the series by scores of 5-3, 11-7, and 5-2.
Last Time Out
James Madison used a five-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning to take the series finale from the Fordham Rams, 7-6, at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
After the Duke opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the third, Fordham answered with two runs in the top of the fourth.
Jake MacKenzie started things with a one-out triple down the left field line and scored on a ground out by
Brian Goulard.
C.J. Vazquez then singled to left and scored on a double to right center by
Jake Baker for a 2-1 lead. The lead was short-lived as Fox Semones connected on a solo home run to left to start the bottom of the fourth, knotting the game at two.
Fordham then regained the lead at 4-2 in the fifth, as with runners at second and third with two outs, MacKenzie singled up the middle to score
Matt Tarabek and
Nick Labella. MacKenzie then extended the Fordham lead to 5-2 in the top of the seventh with an RBI-single to score Labella, who reached on a double.
Things then went sideways for the Rams, as James Madison scored five times in the bottom of the seventh on only one hit to take a 7-5 lead. After loading the bases on a hit by a pitch, a single, and a walk, the Dukes scored runs on a hit by pitch, a walk, a fielder' choice, a wild pitch and an error. Fordham got a run back in the eighth to make it 7-6 on an RBI-double by
Alvin Melendez, which scored Vazquez, who reached on a walk. The Rams then had a chance to tie the game in the ninth, as two James Madison errors put runners at the corners with one out. However, Matt Colon struck out the final two batters of the game to record his first save of the season.
Jake Baker
Matt Mikulski (1-1) took the loss, allowing four runs in a third of an inning. Starter
Mike Cowell went the first four innings, allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts, while
Brian Weissert tossed two scoreless innings of relief. At the plate, MacKenzie was 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBI, while Labella was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.
Top of the Rotation
After missing his entire junior year, senior pitcher
Ben Greenberg has come back in impressive form, throwing 14 scoreless innings to start the season and recording two wins in three starts. He ranks first in the nation in hits allowed per nine inning at (1.29), while being tied for first in ERA at 0.00 and 15
th in WHIP.
He's Going, He's Going
A popular phrase heard at Fordham's Houlihan Park at any Rams' home game is "He's going, he's going!" That phrase has certainly been true through the first ten games of the 2018 season. In 2017, Fordham had just four stolen bases through the first ten games. This year, the Rams have 26 swipes, which ranks ninth in the country. Individually, nine Rams have at least one stolen bases this season, led by
Jake Baker with six.
Who's Next
The Rams get back on the road this weekend at Coppin State for a three-game set, March 10-11, with a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.
