Baseball Takes On Fairfield & Columbia in Mid-Week Action

After its third straight conference series win this past weekend, the Fordham baseball team has a pair of mid-week contests against the Fairfield Stags on Tuesday and at Columbia on Wednesday.
 
Fordham (19-18, 6-3) has gotten on a roll as of late, winning 13 of its last 20 games, which included taking two of three contests from Rhode Island this past weekend.  Fairfield enters Tuesday's game at 15-17 overall and have won seven straight MAAC games.

 
For the second straight year, the Fordham baseball team is holding a fundraiser for the Vs. Cancer Foundation to Cure Kids' Cancer in conjunction with the game against Fairfield. Members of the team will be shaving their heads after the game to support the cause.  The Rams hope to beat their mark of over $14,000 raised last year. To help the team this year, go to their team page & Donate Now!
 
PROBABLE STARTERS/GAME COVERAGE:
 Tuesday – Fordham - RHP Reiss Knehr (0-0, 1.12) vs. Fairfield LHP Ryan O'Connor (0-1, 5.61) // Twitter Feed - @FordhamBaseball | Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video
 
Wednesday - RHP Ryan Remo (1-2, 5.19) vs. Columbia - TBA // Twitter Feed - @FordhamBaseball | Live Stats | Live Video (PPV)
 
SERIES HISTORY: Fordham has plenty of series history with both of its mid-week opponents.  Tuesday will be the 50^th all-time meeting between the Rams and Stags, who first met back in 1969.  The Rams lead the series between the two Jesuit institutions with a 27-22 mark.  Fordham has won seven of the last ten meetings, but Fairfield won last year's contest, 6-4, up in Connecticut.
 
The Fordham-Columbia series is one of the oldest in collegiate baseball, dating back to 1884. This will be the 126^th meeting since 1900, with Fordham leading the series at 71-52-2.  The lions though have gotten the better of Fordham the last two seasons with wins of 7-5 and 16-3.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Good pitching still remained the theme in the series finale between the Fordham Rams and the Rhode Island Rams at Houlihan Park on Sunday.  Each squad had one win due to good pitching and today was no different.  Fordham's Joseph Serrapica and Jimmy Murphy scattered eight hits and struck out a combined seven batters, as Fordham topped URI, 4-2, to earn the series clinching win.
 
Rhode Island notched the opening run of the ballgame in the top of the first inning.  Martin Figueroa roped a one-out ground-rule double over the center field wall, and moved to third on a passed ball.  He then scored on a ground out by Jordan Powell.
 
Fordham answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the frame.  Justin Bardwell started the rally with a double down the right field line.  Ryan McNally then hit a fly ball to left that the leftfielder lost in the sun and dropped for a hit.  Bardwell scored on the play with McNally ending up at third when the throw went home.  Luke Stampfl then plated McNally with a sacrifice fly to center.
 
Fordham added to the lead with two runs in the second to go up by a 4-1 margin.  Jason Lundy reached on an error to start the inning, while Ryan Mahoney was hit by a pitch.  Ian Edmiston then laid down a bunt, which the catcher threw to third base, but Lundy beat the play to the bag, loading the bases.   Joseph DeVito followed with a single to left to score Lundy from third.  After a line drive double play, Bardwell drew a walk to re-load the bases with McNally also drawing a walk to force in another run.
 
The score remained that way until the sixth, when Rhode Island cut the deficit to 4-2, on a triple to right center by Laurence Hill and an RBI-single by Mike Foley.

 
Fordham kept the score at 4-2, behind some stellar defense and pitching.  The Maroon and White turned three double plays on the afternoon, two of which came in the sixth and seventh innings.  Then, it was Fordham's pitching duo of Joseph Serrapica and Jimmy Murphy shutting down the Rhode Island offense. 
 
Serrapica (2-4) threw the first seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits with five strikeouts.  Murphy recorded his second save of the season, pitching two scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts.
 
At the plate, DeVito was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while McNally was 1-for-2 with two walks, two RBI, and a stolen base.
 
WE'RE GOING STREAKIN': Graduate student Ryan McNally has a .339 batting average over his last 16 games (19-56) with 13 runs scored, five doubles, four home runs, and 14 RBI… Senior Ian Edmiston has a .325 batting average over his last 14 games… Junior Luke Stampfl is batting .310 (18-58) over his last 17 games, notching 11 runs scored, four doubles, two home runs, and 12 RBI… Senior Joseph Serrapica is 2-0 with a save and a 1.17 ERA in his last six outings, posting 26 strikeouts in 23 innings… Senior Jimmy Murphy has a 1-1 record with two saves and 0.77 ERA in 11.2 innings with 12 strikeouts… Junior Greg Weissert has recorded 31 strikeouts in his last four starts to go with a 2.28 ERA.
 
WHO'S NEXT: The Rams begin their longest road swing of the season, an eight-game road trip, at Columbia on Wednesday at 3:30 PM.  Fordham then travels to Davidson for an Atlantic 10 weekend series, April 22-24.