April 27, 2012

Fordham-Xavier Game Notes

Cincinnati, Ohio - Winning three of its last five games, the Fordham Rams are back on the road for a big conference series at Xavier, beginning on Friday. The Rams, currently sitting in fifth place at 9-6 in league play, will try to create some separation from the pack against a Xavier squad that eliminated the Rams from playoff contention in the final game of last season. Xavier is fighting their way back into the playoff fight, sitting at 6-6 in conference play.

Overall, Xavier leads the all-time series with Fordham at 16-12.

PROBABLE STARTERS:
Friday - Fordham - RHP Daniel Munday (3-3) vs. Xavier - RHP Vinny Nittoli (3-4) |
Saturday - Fordham - RHP Joseph Charest (4-6) vs. Xavier - LHP Jon Richard (3-4) |
Sunday - Fordham - RHP Chris Pike (3-1) vs. Xavier - RHP Tyler Koors (1-5) |

SCOUTING XAVIER: The Musketeers are 20-23 this season with a 6-6 mark in conference play.

The team is batting .261 this season with a 4.28 ERA. Leading the way offensively, Mark Elwell leads the squad with a .317 batting average to go with 19 RBI and six stolen bases, while Selby Chidemo is batting .287 with 18 RBI. Derek Hasenbeck is also one of the top hitters, collecting a team-high 12 doubles and 20 RBI.

On the hill, Xavier will toss the trio of RHP Vinny Nittoli, LHP Jon Richard, and RHP Tyler Koors as the probable starting rotation. Nittoli is 3-4 with a 4.53 ERA in ten starts, posting 27 strikeouts in 53.2 inning pitched. Richard is also 3-4 this season with a 6.34 ERA in ten starts, recording a team-high 37 strikeouts in 59.2 innings pitched, while Koors is 1-5 in ten starts with a 5.60 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 53.0 innings pitched.

In the bullpen, the Musketeers boast one of the top closers in the league in Seth Willoughby. Willoughby leads the Atlantic 10 in saves with 10, while registering a 1.29 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 28.0 innings pitched.

MAURI & MUNDAY EARN A-10 ACCOLADES (4/23): Fordham University junior infielder Mike Mauri (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) and senior pitcher Daniel Munday (Rockaway Park, N.Y./Xavier) were named Atlantic 10 Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the conference office. It is Mauri's first career weekly honor, while being the third for Munday, as he was twice named Rookie of the Week as a freshman.

Mauri had an excellent week for the Rams, batting .588 (10-17), and helping Fordham post a series win over La Salle. He finished with multi-hit games in four of five outings, while adding a pair of stolen bases. He posted a perfect fielding percentage as well, as he shifted to first base full-time this week in 50 total chances.

Munday pitched his first career complete game shutout on April 20th against La Salle, while setting a new career-high with nine strikeouts. He allowed only one base runner to reach third base in the game, as he scattered five hits and two walks in his nine innings of work.

WE'RE GOING STREAKIN': Mike Mauri had a career-high nine-game hit streak end in game two against Columbia. He is batting .548 (17-31) over that stretch with six runs scored, six RBI, and three stolen bases... Ryan Maghini has also been hot, batting .324 (12-37) over his last 10 contests with six runs scored... Tim Swatek is batting .341 over his last 10 games (14-41), scoring four runs to go with three doubles and five RBI...Stephen McSherry is hitting .355 (11-31) over his last 10 games with six RBI... Rich Anastasi has not allowed an earned run in his last six appearances (12 IP)... Joseph Charest and Daniel Munday became the first Fordham pitchers to throw back-to-back complete game wins, since Chris Pike and Max Krakowiak did so against La Salle on March 26th & 27th of last season.

THE "A" TEAM: When the game has been on the line, Fordham has gone to the "A-Team" duo of Jeremy Adel and Rich Anastasi to shut the door in the closing innings.

In games won by the Rams, Adel is 3-0 with five saves, a 0.68 ERA, and a .200 opponent batting average, while Anastasi is 2-0 with three saves, a 0.82 ERA, 11 strikeouts, and a .225 opponent batting average.

UPCOMING GAMES: The Rams return home on May 1st for a night game against Manhattan, beginning the team's final home stretch. Fordham will follow with three home games against Rhode Island, May 4-6. The Rams then end the season with two games at Boston College (May 12-13) and at Richmond (May 17-19).