Baseball Downs Manhattan, 8-3

Bronx, N.Y. – (March 30, 2018) – Behind six shutout innings from starter Reiss Knehr and a three-hit day for Alvin Melendez, the Fordham baseball team topped the Manhattan Jaspers, 8-3, to start a three-game series at Houlihan Park on Friday.
 
With the win, Fordham improved to 14-7-1 on the year, while Manhattan fell to 12-11.
 
Fordham jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first, as Alvin Melendez and Matt Tarabek reached on one-out singles and pulled off a double steal.  Melendez then scored on a sacrifice fly by Justin Bardwell.
 
The Rams then exploded for five runs in the second for a 6-0 lead, highlighted by a two-run single by Billy Godrick, a sacrifice fly by Melendez, and a successful squeeze bunt by Justin Machado.
 
Fordham continued to add to the lead with single runs in the third and fourth innings for an 8-0 edge.  In the third, Jake MacKenzie was hit by a pitch, stole second and third, and scored on a ground out by Machado.  Then in the fourth, Melendez tripled over the centerfielder's head and scored on an infield single by Tarabek.

 
From there, Fordham's Reiss Knehr was in cruise control, as he improved to 3-2 on the season.  Knehr tossed six shutout innings, allowing just two hits and one walk with six strikeouts.  Mike Cowell came on in relief, tossing two innings of scoreless relief, while Marc Bisogno and Anthony Zimmerman combined for the final three outs of the game, as the Jaspers netted their three runs in the ninth inning for the 8-3 final.
 
At the plate, Melendez was 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, two runs scored, and an RBI, while Tarabek and Jake Baker each had two hits.  Godrick and Machado also added a pair of RBI each for the Rams.
 
The same two teams will wrap up their three-game game series on Saturday, March 31^st, with a noon doubleheader.