Baseball Travels to St. Bonaventure for Final Atlantic 10 Series

St. Bonaventure, N.Y. – Winners of seven of their last eight games, the Fordham baseball team heads into the final weekend of Atlantic 10 play still alive for a possible playoff berth.  The Rams (25-23, 9-11) though will have their work cut out for them, needing three wins against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, as well as some help in other conference series, in order to make the team's fourth straight Atlantic 10 Championship appearance.
 
St. Bonaventure (25-18, 14-6) has already secured a berth at next week's Atlantic 10 Championship in St. Louis.  The Bonnies are playing for seeding and still have a shot at the top spot in the league.
 
PROBABLE STATERS/GAME COVERAGE:
Thursday – RHP Jimmy Murphy (5-7, 2.76) vs. RHP Aaron Phillips (9-0, 2.85) // Live Video (PPV) | Live Audio | Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
Friday – RHP Reiss Knehr (3-3, 3.92) vs. RHP Brandon Schlimm (1-3, 4.43) // Live Video (PPV) | Live Audio | Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
Saturday – RHP Brandon Martin (4-1, 3.90) vs. RHP Casey Vincent (2-3, 5.06) // Live Video (PPV) | Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamBaseball
 
SERIES HISTORY: After three meetings in the early 1900s, the Rams and Bonnies have met regularly in conference action since Fordham joined the league in the 1995-96 season.  Fordham holds a 34-25 lead in the all-time series, and have won 10 of the last 11 meetings, including six straight.  The two teams did not meet last year, after Fordham swept a three-game series at St. Bonaventure in 2014 and at Fordham in 2015.
 
LAST TIME OUT: In a season of wild finishes, there are few that will top Tuesday's Iona-Fordham baseball game at Houlihan Park.  Trailing 7-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Fordham rallied for seven runs, capped by a two-run infield single by Mark Donadio, giving Fordham an incredible 8-7 win over the Iona Gaels.  The win was the 19^th home win for the Rams, the most for the team since winning 19 in 1994.
 
The game did not start well for the home team, as Iona jumped out to a 6-0 lead by the fifth inning, scoring once in the first, four times in the third, and once in the fifth.  In the first, Brian Picone led off the game with a double and then scored after a pair of groundouts for a 1-0 lead.   Then in the third, Iona scored four times on a sac bunt and error, an RBI-double by Matt Byrne, and on a double play.  The Gaels' sixth run came on an RBI-single by Sean Breen for a 6-0 lead.
 
Fordham got on the board in the seventh to make it a 6-1 game.  With two outs, Billy Godrick drew a walk, followed by a single from Mark Donadio.  Luke Stampfl then plated Godrick with an RBI-single to left.  Iona got that run back in the ninth, scoring on a first and third steal, putting Fordham in a 7-1 deficit, as the Rams headed to the bottom of the ninth against Iona reliever Andrew Camiolo.
 
The comeback began with a leadoff single from Godrick followed by a walk to Donadio.  After a flyout, Jason Lundy roped an RBI-single to left, scoring Godrick.  Ryan Mahoney was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out.
 
After a strikeout, Alvin Melendez, who came on as a defensive replacement in the ninth, ripped a base hit just inside the right field line into the corner.  Iona rightfielder Seth Hoaglund picked up the ball just before it rolled over the out of play line, keeping the play alive.  Melendez ended up with a bases-clearing triple, making it a 7-5 game.
 
Justin Bardwell then pinch-hit for Nico Doria and blistered a single to right to score Melendez and pull Fordham within one, 7-6.  Jake Baker was then hit by a pitch, putting the tying run in scoring position, and ending Camiolo's outing.  Iona closer Jared Finkel came on to pitch and would hit Godrick to load the bases for Donadio.  Down to his last strike, Donadio hit a slow ground ball to short, which he beat out for an infield single.  Bardwell scored with Baker never letting up and running hard around third, also scoring on the play to give Fordham its second straight walkoff win.

Senior Parker Barnell (1-0) earned his first career win in his final home game, after pitching the top of the ninth inning and getting a strikeout.  Starter Mike Cowell went two-plus innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits.  He was relieved by Shane McDonald, who threw two scoreless innings, followed by Anthony DiMeglio, who allowed one run on four hits in two innings of relief.  Kyle Martin and Alexander Hernandez rounded out the pitching effort for the Rams with one scoreless inning each.
 
At the plate, Baker was 3-for-5 and scored the game-winning run, while Mahoney was 3-for-4 with a run scored.  Donadio finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI with Godrick going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base.  Stampfl, Lundy, and Bardwell each had an RBI-single with Melendez picking up a triple and three RBI in his lone at bat. 

AMONG THE A-10'S BEST: The Fordham pitching staff has been outstanding this season, ranking first in strikeouts (392), third in the league in ERA (3.91), and second in opponent batting average (.249), as of May 15^th.  Individually, Alvin Melendez ranks second in ERA at 0.81, while Reiss Knehr (80) and Jimmy Murphy (79) rank first and second in the league in strikeouts.
 
WHO'S HOT: Freshman Jake Baker is batting .375 over his last 11 games (12-32), registering four runs scored, a home run and five RBI… Senior Matthew Kozuch is batting .372 in his last 11 games(16-43) with five doubles, seven runs scored, and seven RBI… Freshman Billy Godrick is hitting .324 (11-34) in his last 11 games with 12 runs scored and five stolen bases…  Senior Jason Lundy is batting .316 (12-38) in his last 12 contests with 10 runs scored, a home run, five RBI, and six stolen bases… On the hill, senior Shane McDonald is 2-0 in his last five appearances with a 0.00 ERA in 10.1 innings with ten strikeouts, while holding opponents to a .063 opponent batting average… Freshman Alvin Melendez has a win and two saves in his last four relief appearances… Freshman Kyle Martin is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his last five showings with eight strikeouts and a .172 opponent batting average.