Baseball Hosts Big A-10 Series Against Saint Joseph’s Starting Thursday

Bronx, N.Y. – Having won seven of its last nine games, the Fordham baseball team opens a three-game Atlantic 10 series against the Saint Joseph's Hawks on Thursday.  The Rams stand at 15-13 overall, following an 11-3 win at Siena on Tuesday, while having a 4-4 mark in the conference.  Saint Joseph's is 10-15 overall with a 3-3 record in the Atlantic 10.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS/GAME COVERAGE:
Thursday – RHP Mike Cowell (0-2, 5.25) vs. RHP Justin Aungst (0-2, 8.15) // Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
Friday – RHP Reiss Knehr (2-3, 3.92) vs. RHP Hayden Seig (2-1, 4.32) // Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
Saturday – RHP Jimmy Murphy (3-4, 2.83) vs. TBA // Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
 
SERIES HISTORY: Fordham and Saint Joseph's have met 53 times previously, all as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference.  The Hawks hold a 30-22-1 edge in the series and have won eight straight meetings, and 10 out of 11 games, dating back to 2013.  The last meeting came at last year's A-10 Championship, where the Hawks won, 7-6.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Behind 11 runs on 11 hits and some good work by the Fordham bullpen, the Rams defeated the Siena Saints, 11-3, at Siena Field on Tuesday in Loudonville, N.Y.
 
Fordham got on the board right away in the first as Jake Baker drew a walk and came around to score on a double by Matthew Kozuch.
 
Siena tied the game at one in the bottom half of the first, courtesy of an error, a double and a sacrifice fly.
 
The tie game did not last long as Fordham regained the lead in the second at 2-1.  With one out, Ryan Mahoney blasted a solo home run to right for his second of the season.
 
The Rams added to the lead with four runs in the fourth, making it a 6-1 game.  Reiss Knehr led off the inning with a bunt single and moved to second on a walk to Mahoney.  After a Pat Gardner sacrifice, Billy Godrick connected on a two-run single, scoring both runners.   Fordham would later pick up two runs on a wild pitch and an error to go up by five.

 
Siena pulled back within three at 6-3 in the bottom of the fourth, but Fordham rallied again in the sixth for three runs and a 9-3 edge.  Gardner began the rally with a single to left and moved to second on a walk to Godrick.  Alvin Melendez was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Baker, who followed with a two-run single to right center, scoring Gardner and Godrick.  Melendez then scored on Baker's caught stealing.
 
Fordham continued to add to the lead in the seventh, when Mahoney tripled to center, scoring Knehr, who reached on a fielder's choice.
 
The Rams' final run came in the ninth, as Brian Goulard walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced on a ground out, and scored on a ground out by Ryan Jennings.
 
On the hill, Kyle Martin (4-1) was credited with the win, throwing 1.2 innings of hitless relief with three strikeouts.  Brian Weissert had the longest outing of the relievers with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts, while Marc Bisogno, Matthew Ogozaly, and Jake Bernardo each threw one scoreless inning.
 
At the plate, Mahoney was 2-for-3 with a triple, a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI, while Baker was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.  Godrick also finished with two hits and two RBI with Melendez adding two runs scored.
 
HOT ON THE HILL: The Fordham pitching staff has stepped up after a slow start to the season.  Over the last 16 games, the Rams are 12-4 with a 2.89 ERA and 135 strikeouts over 137 innings, while holding opponents to a .225 batting average.  Leading the herd has been graduate student Jimmy Murphy, who is 3-1 in his last four starts with a 0.87 ERA, 32 strikeouts, and a .189 opponent batting average.  Fordham has also seen some solid play from freshmen Alvin Melendez and Kyle Martin.  Melendez is 2-0 with two saves over his last six appearances with a 0.75 ERA and .158 opponent batting average, while Martin is 3-1 with a save in his last seven appearances to go with a 0.79 ERA and .125 opponent batting average.
 
DEFENDING THE "HOU": The Rams are out to a 10-2 start in 12 home games this season, continuing a winning trend at Fordham's Houlihan Park.  Fordham has posted a winning home record in each of the last seven seasons, and since 2012, when Coach Leighton took over, Fordham is 86-54 at home, good for a .614 winning percentage The 10-2 mark is also Fordham's best start at home since 1994.  The 1994 squad finished with an 18-4 home record.
 
WHO'S NEXT: The Rams have a pair of mid-week contests next week, traveling to Fairfield on Tuesday, April 18^th and hosting Columbia on Wednesday, April 19^th, before playing a three-game series with VCU at Houlihan Park, April 21-23.