April 9, 2013

Bronx, N.Y. - After 12 straight games on the road, the Fordham baseball team finally returns home to Houlihan Park for a match-up with long-time opponent, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

The Scarlet Knights hold a 28-26-3 edge in the all-time series, which dates as far back as 1882. Rutgers has won five of the last six meetings with the only non-loss being an 8-8 11-inning tie between Fordham and Rutgers in 2008.

PROBABLE STARTERS:
Fordham - RHP J.C. Porter (1-2) vs. Rutgers - RHP Slater McCue (0-1) | | Watch | WFUV Audio

SCOUTING RUTGERS: The Scarlet Knights are 14-14 on the season with a 6-3 mark in the Big East Conference. Rutgers is batting .265 as a team with a 4.56 team ERA.

Charlie Law is the top hitter on the squad, leading the team in batting average (.366) and RBI (30) this season. Vinny Zarrillo is batting .356 with 20 runs scored and is tied for the team-high with six stolen bases. Jeff Melillo brings the powers to the Scarlet Knights line-up, pacing the team with four home runs to go with six doubles and 24 runs scored.

On the hill, RHP Slater McCue is listed as the probable starter for today's game. He is 0-1 with an 8.56 ERA in six appearances, starting three. He has pitched 13.2 innings this year , posting 11 strikeouts and a .373 opponent batting average.

LAST TIME OUT: The Georgia State Panthers completed a four-game baseball sweep on Sunday, defeating the Fordham Rams, 5-2, at the GSU Baseball Complex in Atlanta.

Georgia State opened the scoring with two runs in the second inning. After a double and a walk put two runners on with one out, Matt Rose connected for an RBI-single to right, scoring Scott Sarratt from second and moving Nic Wilson to third. Wilson then scored on a ground out by Greg Bowder.

Fordham knotted the game at two in the sixth inning, as an error by the Georgia State first baseman allowed by Ryan Phelan and Tim Swatek to score from second and first, respectively. Both Phelan and Swatek had reached base on singles.

The Panthers quickly regained the lead with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Once again, it was Sarratt and Wilson on base with one out, when Bowder was hit by a pitch. Shane Gordon then lined a two-run single to center off Fordham reliever Rich Anastasi to make it, 4-2.

The Panthers added an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI-single by Rose, which closed out a 5-2 win for Georgia State. The Panthers' starting pitcher, Andrew Fessler, went 7.1 innings pitched, allowing one earned run on five hits with six strikeouts, while Rose posted his second save of the season by striking out the side in the ninth.

Fordham's Brett Kennedy (2-2) made his first career start, giving up four runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts, while Anastasi gave up a hit in 1.1 innings of relief. Swatek also pitched an inning of relief, giving up one run on two hits.

At the plate, Ryan McNally had two of the Rams' five hits, while Swatek and Phelan each had a hit and a run scored. Mike Mauri had the Rams' final hit, going 1-for-2 with two walks.

UPCOMING GAMES: The Rams then travel to Army for a 3:30 game on Wednesday, April 10th. Fordham then returns home for an Atlantic 10 series against Rhode Island, April 12-14.