March 26, 2010

Fordham-Richmond Games Notes

Richmond, Va. - After a rain out on Friday, the Fordham baseball team will now open Atlantic 10 play with a doubleheader on Saturday at Pitt Field in Richmond, Virginia, against the Richmond Spiders, beginning at noon. Fordham holds a 10-9 series advantage against the Spiders with the Rams winning eight of the last nine meetings, including six in a row.

PROBABLE STARTERS:
Saturday (Game 1): LHP J.P. Mack (0-3) vs. RHP Billy Falasco (1-1) | Watch | GameTracker
Saturday (Game 2): RHP Max Krakowiak (0-3) vs. LHP Matt Zielinski (4-0) | Watch | GameTracker
Sunday: RHP Brian Pendergast (1-1) vs. RHP Anthony Cafagna (1-0) | Watch | GameTracker

SCOUTING RICHMOND: The Spiders are 11-8 on the season, having started fairly well under third-year head coach Mark McQueen.

Richmond is hitting .306 as a group, while averaging over eight runs a contest with 25 home runs this season. The team is led by All-Atlantic 10 selection Billy Barber, who is batting .406 with 24 runs scored, five home runs, and 25 RBI. Right behind him is Phil Ruzbarsky with a .377 batting average, while Chris Cowell has 22 RBI and a .339 average.

On the hill, Richmond has a 5.44 ERA with 129 strikeouts in 167 innings, while allowing a .280 batting average. Richmond's top hurler is Matt Zielinski, who is 4-0 with a 3.33 ERA in five starts. Out of the bullpen, Barer pulls double duty as the Spiders' closer, posting three saves and a 1.12 ERA in 10 appearances.

FORDHAM'S Angelo Ponte NAMED TO COLLEGEBASEBALL360.COM'S PRIMETIME PERFORMERS (3/23): Fordham fifth-year senior Angelo Ponte was one of three Atlantic 10 players named to CollegeBaseball360.com's Primetime Performers for the week ending March 21st.

Ponte was a part of all four runs in Fordham's upset win over then #11 Miami on March 16th. He drove in three runs and scored the game-winning run. The following day, he continued to be a thorn in Miami's side, driving in two more runs in a 9-8 loss.

KNOCKIN' OFF THE `CANES: On March 16th, Fordham pulled off their first upset of a ranked opponent since 2005, when the Rams defeated the then-#11 Miami Hurricanes, 4-3, at Alex Rodriguez Park. The last ranked team Fordham knocked off was Winthrop in 2005.

In the game, Angelo Ponte drove in three runs, while Brian Pendergast recorded his first win as a Ram with five strong innings, while Jordan Grangard, Rich Anastasi, Daniel Munday, and Brando Casalicchio combined for four scoreless innings of relief.

WE'RE GOIN' STREAKIN': Senior Ryan McCrann has picked up the pace after a slow start, hitting .452 (14-31) in his current eight-game hitting streak... Junior Chris Walker is batting .346 (9-26) in his last eight games with five RBI... Senior Mike Mobbs is hitting .320 (8-25) over their last eight contests adding nine runs scored, four doubles and three RBI... Senior Angelo Ponte drove in five runs in Fordham's two-game set against then-#11 Miami (Fla.)... Junior Brian Pendergast has been strong in his last three starts, posting a 1.42 ERA and a win over #11 Miami, allowing a total of three earned runs in 19.0 innings to go with 17 strikeouts.

HOT STARTS: No hitter in the Rams' line-up has been hotter than junior Chris Walker to open the season. He leads the Rams' in batting (.377), hits (26), doubles (7), and RBI (16). He also set a career-best hitting streak this season at nine games from February 20th through March 10th.

Senior Mike Mobbs has also gotten out to a great start through 18 games, hitting .311 with a team-best 17 runs scored to go with five doubles, two triples, and five RBI.

RAMS AMONG A-10 LEADERS (3/22): Through the first month of the season, six Rams currently find themselves among the Atlantic 10 leaders:

Category - Name - Total - Rank
Doubles - Chris Walker - 7 - T7th
Triples - Mike Mobbs - 2 - T2nd
ERA - Brian Pendergast - 4.91 - 10th
Wins - Daniel Munday - 2 - T12th
Strikeouts - Brian Pendergast - 21 - T9th
Opponent BA - Brian Pendergast - .205 - 1st
Inning Pitched - Max Krakowiak - 27.1 - 10th
Saves - Brando Casalicchio - 2 - T2nd

CALLING FOR LEFTY: Over the past two seasons, the Rams have had a short list of left-handed pitchers to call upon, namely J.P. Mack, who was the only left-handed pitcher on the roster.

In 2010, Mack has finally gotten some help with the additions of freshmen lefties Rich Anastasi, Ryan DeMartino, and Dan Sorine Anastasi and DeMartino have started off their Fordham careers well through the first portion of the season.

Anastasi has made seven appearances, six out of the bullpen, posting a 4.76 ERA in 17.0 innings with 14 strikeouts, while DeMartino has recorded a win and eight strikeouts in six appearances.

So far, Sorine has appeared in only one game as a pitcher, pitching one socreless inning.

BACK FOR ONE MORE ROUND: Fifth-year senior P.J. Como, Angelo Ponte, Ryan McCrann, and J.P. Mack are all back for one year in the Fordham maroon & white.

Mack was Fordham's top pitcher in 2009, posting a 6-3 record in a team-high 97.0 innings pitched. He has gotten out to a slow beginning in 2010, but had a quality start against Michigan, throwing 6.1 innings.

Ponte and McCrann have both come on as of late to lead the Fordham offense. McCrann has a seven-game hitting streak to date, hitting .452 in that stretch, bringing his season numbers to .299 with six RBI. Ponte hit over .300 in his last six games, driving in five runs in Fordham's two-game set against Miami (Fla.), as he is now batting .283 on the year with nine RBI.

Como, who missed most of last season due to injury, has come back strong with 10 runs scored, good for second on the team to go with a team-best five stolen bases.

UPCOMING GAMES: Fordham will play at Fairfield on Tuesday, March 30th, and they open a three-game home series against Atlantic 10 opponent, Rhode Island, April 1st-3rd. Game times are set for 2:00 PM (Thursday), 11:00 AM (Friday), and 1:00 PM (Saturday).