March 23, 2012

Bronx, N.Y. - The Fordham Rams open conference play this weekend, as the Rams host the Massachusetts Minutemen at Houlihan Park, starting on Friday. Both squads are coming off one-run loss on Wednesday, as the Rams fell to Marist, 3-2, while the Minutemen fell to Monmouth by a 2-1 score.

Massachusetts leads the all-time series with Fordham at 25-19-1.

PROBABLE STARTERS:
Friday - Fordham - RHP Daniel Munday (1-1) vs. Massachusetts - RHP Dennis Torres (0-2) | | Watch | WFUV Audio
Saturday - Fordham - RHP Chris Pike (2-0) vs. Massachusetts - RHP Glen Misho (0-2) | | Watch | WFUV Audio
Sunday - Fordham - RHP Joseph Charest (1-4) vs. Massachusetts - RHP Joe Popielarczyk (1-0) | | Watch | WFUV Audio

SCOUTING MASSACHUSETTS: The Minutemen are just 2-6 on the season, having not started play until early March. The team is batting .244 as a club with a 4.23 team ERA.

Rob McLam is leading the offense with a team-high .500 batting average to go with four RBI and three stolen bases. Rich Graef is batting .316 with eight runs scored in eight games. Ryan Cusick leads the Minutemen with four doubles and six stolen bases, while Anthony Serino is the top RBI-man with six.

On the hill, Massachusetts will send the right-handed trio of Dennis Torres, Glen Misho, and Joe Popielarczyk this weekend. Torres is 0-2 but has pitched well, posting a 2.35 ERA in 15.1 innings with nine strikeouts. Misho is also 0-2, allowing 16 runs in 10.1 innings of work. Popielarczyk has been very effective in his two starts, going 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA in 10.2 innings with six strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .229.

Out of the bullpen, the Minutemen boast one of the top closers in the Atlantic 10 in Leif Sorenson. He has saves in both of Massachusetts' wins this season, giving up just five hits in 7.2 innings with seven strikeouts.

WE'RE GOIN' STREAKIN': Mike Mauri is batting .357 (10-28) over his last eight games with four multi-hit contests and five RBI. He along with Joseph Charest was named to the Seton Hall Strike Out Cancer All-Tournament team this past weekend... Ryan Maghini is hitting .323 over his last eight games, driving in five runs... Matthew Cianci has eight runs scored in his last eight games, while batting .310 (9-29)... Joseph Charest threw his first career complete game on Sunday, pitching a four-hitter and recording his first win of the season... Chris Pike tossed 7.2 innings in his last outing, giving up just one earned run to Maine.

MAURI & CHAREST NAMED TO STRIKE OUT CANCER ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM (3/18): Fordham juniors Mike Mauri and Joseph Charest were both selected to the Seton Hall Strike Out Cancer All-Tournament team, it was announced at the conclusion of the tournament on March 18th.

Mauri hit .455 for the tournament, collecting five hits in 11 at bats, while notching a double, a run scored and two RBI.

Charest tossed his first career complete game in a 3-2 win over Maine. He allowed two runs on four hits with three strikeouts, and induced a season-high 17 ground outs.

UPCOMING GAMES: The Rams are back on the road locally at LIU on March 28th, at 3:30 PM before heading to St. Bonaventure for a three-game series, March 30-April 1. Fordham is then back home for a game against Fairfield on April 3rd at 3:30 PM.