April 3, 2012

Fairfield, Conn. - After picking up road conference wins, on Saturday and Sunday, the Fordham baseball team looks for its third straight road win on Tuesday, when the Rams face the Fairfield Stags at Alumni Baseball Diamond in Fairfield, Connecticut.

This will be the second meeting of the season between Fordham and Fairfield. The two teams met back on February, as Fordham earned a 5-2 victory behind a stellar pitching performance from Daniel Munday, as he struck out eight over 8.2 innings.

Fordham leads the all-time series with the Stags, 26-22.

PROBABLE STARTERS:
Fordham - RHP Jordan Grangard (0-2) vs. RHP Jeremy Soule (1-2) | Live Stats

SCOUTING FAIRFIELD: The Stags are 10-17 on the season with a 2-4 mark in the MAAC.

The team is batting .251 on the year with a team ERA of 4.54. Leading the way individually is Tyler Wosleger, who is batting .351 with 15 runs scored, 11 RBI, and six stolen bases. Ryan Plourde is right behind him with a .330 batting average , 14 runs scored, seven doubles, two home runs, and 16 RBI. Larry Cornelia has started every game for the Stags, and leads the squad with 19 runs scored and 10 stolen bases to go with his .306 batting average.

On the hill, RHP Jeremy Soule is expected to get the start. He is 1-2 on the seasonwith a 5.47 ERA in five starts. He has 15 strikeouts in 24.2 innings and is holding opponents to a .250 batting average.

FRESHMAN Matthew Cianci NAMED ATLANTIC 10 ROOKIE OF THE WEEK (4/2): Fordham University freshman outfielder Matthew Cianci (Far Hills, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) was named Atlantic 10 Baseball Rookie of the Week, today by the conference office. It is his first career weekly honor.

Cianci helped Fordham to a 3-1 week, including a series win at St. Bonaventure. The rookie outfielder hit .333 (6-18) over the Rams' four outings with three RBI and a pair of stolen bases.

He opened the week with two hits and two RBI against LIU-Brooklyn, before hitting .308 in Fordham's three-game set at St. Bonaventure. Cianci tied his season-high with three hits against the Bonnies on Sunday, as Fordham claimed the series with a 6-3 victory.

On the season, Cianci leads the Rams with 17 runs scored and is tied for the team lead with seven stolen bases.

UPCOMING GAMES: The Rams are back home this weekend as the team takes on Temple for a three-game Atlantic 10 series beginning Friday, April 6th at 11:00 AM and then a doubleheader on Saturday, April 7th, at noon. Fordham then has five straight games on the road, starting on Tuesday, April 10th at Rutgers.