Baseball Begins Four-Game Set Versus Canisius on Friday

Bronx, N.Y. - Having already played in Texas and California, the Fordham baseball team will stay on the East Coast for week three of the season, as the Rams will face the Canisius Golden Griffins in Wilson, N.C., for a four-game series, starting on Friday.
 
The two teams will play a nine-inning game on Friday, a doubleheader on Saturday, featuring a nine- and a seven-inning game, and a regular game on Sunday.
 
Probable Starters/Game Coverage:
Friday: RHP Mike Cowell (0-1, 5.00) vs. LHP Zachary Sloan (0-0, 5.73) // Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
 
Saturday:
Game 1 - RHP Anthony DiMeglio (0-0, 1.42) vs. RHP Andrew Sipowicz (0-0, 1.86) // Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
Game 2 – RHP Reiss Knehr (1-1, 4.82) vs. LHP J.P. Stevenson (2-0, 1.46) // Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
 
Sunday: TBA vs. RHP Andrew Kneussle // Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
 
Series History:  Fordham leads the all-time series, 4-2, with Canisius.  The two teams split a four-game series last year with Canisius winning the first two games by identical scores of 5-4 and Fordham claiming the final two games by scores of 5-2 and 8-5.
 
Last Time Out:  Jarren Duran went 3-for-5 with three RBI, while Matt Fields allowed just one run over six innings, as #21 Long Beach State completed a three-game sweep of the Fordham Rams with a 7-1 win at Blair Field on Sunday.
 
Just like the previous game, Fordham opened the scoring in the first inning, as Jason Lundy led off with a single, moved to second on a ground out, and scored on a single to center by Justin Bardwell.
 
The Dirtbags quickly tied the game in the bottom of the frame, as Rasmussen plated Jarren Duran with a single up the middle after Duran reached on an infield single and stole second.  Long Beach State then took a 3-1 lead in the second, taking advantage of two Fordham errors in the inning.  The Dirtbags added to the lead with one run in the fourth, one in the fifth, and two in the seventh for a 7-1 advantage.  Duran did a good amount of that damage, collecting an RBI-double in the fourth and a two-run double in the seventh.
 
The Rams couldn't get much going against the LBSU pitching staff, as Matt Fields gave up just the one run on seven hits with four strikeouts, while relievers Connor Riley and Eli Villalobos combined for three innings of one-hit relief with eight strikeouts.
 
For Fordham, Jimmy Murphy (0-2) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on eight hits in five innings of work.  David Wright gave up two runs on three hits in two innings of relief, while Anthony Zimmerman tossed a scoreless inning of relief.
 
At the plate, Bardwell was 2-for-4 with an RBI, with Lundy and Mark Donadio also adding a pair of hits each. 

Rare Company:  Senior Luke Stampfl joined elite company in the Rams' second contest against #21 Long Beach State.  The senior shortstop hit for the cycle, going a career-best 5-for-5.  He recorded a triple in the first, a double in the third, a home run in the fifth, and a single in the seventh to register the feat, and then added a single in the ninth for good measure.  Among other Fordham players that have recorded the cycle, the list includes Hall of Famer Frankie Frisch, who did so for the Rams in June 1919 against Villanova.
 
Who's Hot:  Senior Luke Stampfl continued his torrid start to the season with a 5-for-5 performance at Long Beach State on Saturday, which included hitting for the cycle.  He is now batting .577 (15-26) with five extra-base hits, three runs scored and three RBI… Sophomore Justin Bardwell is also off to a good start, hitting .421 (8-19) through five games with three doubles, three RBI and four runs scored… Sophomore Brian Goulard put together a strong opening to his season, batting .360 (9-25) with three doubles, four runs scored, four RBI, and the first home run of his career… Senior Jason Lundy is hitting .381 (8-21) in his first six games.
 
Who's Next:  The Rams will head back to the Bronx to open their home schedule on Wednesday, March 8^th, as Fordham hosts Manhattan for a 2:00 PM doubleheader at Houlihan Park.  The doubleheader starts a nine-game homestand for the Rams.