Baseball Hosts Saint Peter’s for Mid-Week Matinee

Bronx, N.Y. – (March 27, 2018) – After taking two of three games from Davidson to open conference play, the Rams are back home this week to start a 10-game homestand on Tuesday, when the Rams host the Saint Peter's Peacocks at Houlihan Park, beginning at 3:30 PM.  The game was moved to Fordham, as Saint Peter's field was unplayable
 
Probable Starters/Game Coverage
Fordham – RHP Joseph Quintal (0-0, 3.00) vs. Saint Peter's – TBA // Live Audio | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Series History
This will be the 50^th all-time meeting between the Rams and the Peacocks with the series dating back to April 6, 1935.  Fordham holds a 40-9 advantage and are 5-1 against Saint Peter's over the last five seasons.  Last year, Fordham swept a doubleheader from the Peacocks on April 6^th by scores of 5-2 and 7-5.  Saint Peter's last win in the series was a 2-0 victory on March 12^th, 2016.
 
Last Time Out
Fordham's Jake Baker plated C.J. Vazquez on a squeeze bunt single in the top of the ninth inning, while Alvin Melendez recorded his fifth save of the season, as the Rams posted a 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Davidson Wildcats at Wilson Field on Sunday.
 
Fordham opened with a 1-0 lead in the third inning, as Reiss Knehr laid down a bunt that was thrown away, allowing Knehr to reach third.  He then scored on a wild pitch.  Fordham starter Anthony DiMeglio cruised through the first four innings without allowing a hit before the Wildcats scored four times for a 4-1 lead, highlighted by a two-run single by Brett Centracchio.
 
The Rams then battled back for three runs in the top of the eighth inning to knot the game at four.  C.J. Vazquez and Knehr started the frame with back-to-back walks, and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Jake Baker.  Vazquez then scored on a ground out by Billy Godrick, while Knehr scored on a double down the left field line by Alvin Melendez.  After Tarabek was hit by a pitch, Justin Bardwell singled to left center to score Melendez and tie the game.

Fordham then grabbed a 5-4 lead in the ninth inning.  Vazquez started the rally again with a single to right center and moved to third on a single by Knehr.  Baker then laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Vazquez for the lead.
 
Melendez would come in to close out the win, allowing just one baserunner in the ninth to record his fifth save of the season.  Kyle Martin (2-1) got the win after pitching a scoreless eighth inning.  DiMeglio went the first six innings, allowing four runs on four hits with four strikeouts, while John Stankiewicz also through a scoreless inning of relief.  At the plate, Vazquez and Knehr each had a hit and two runs scored, while Baker and Bardwell each had a hit and an RBI. 

Vazquez Named A-10 Co-Rookie of the Week (3/26)

The Atlantic 10 Conference announced its set of weekly baseball awards on Monday with Fordham freshman C.J. Vazquez (Miami, Fla.) being selected as the league's Rookie of the Week.  Vazquez is the third different Fordham freshman honored this season, joining Matt Mikulski and Nick Labella.
 
Vazquez hit safely in all three games this weekend at Davidson, batting .500 (5-10) with two runs scored and two walks. He had a pair of hits in both the Friday and Saturday contests to start the weekend. Then, he led off the game-tying three-run rally on Sunday with a walk, and then singled and scored the winning run in the ninth.  On the year, Vazquez is batting a team-best .317, with three doubles, eight runs scored, and six RBI.
 
He's Going, He's Going
A popular phrase heard at Fordham's Houlihan Park at any Rams' home game is "He's going, he's going!"  That phrase has certainly been true through the first 20 games of the 2018 season.  This year, the Rams have 63 stolen bases, which ranks first in the Atlantic 10 and fifth in the country, while the team's 3.15 average is tops in the nation.  Individually, ten Rams have at least one stolen bases this season, led by Alvin Melendez with 16, which ranks second in the country, while his 0.80 per game average is #1 in the nation.
 
Who's Next
The Rams are next in action on March 30-31, when they are scheduled to host Manhattan for a three-game series.