Bronx, N.Y. – (March 31, 2018) – The Fordham baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader with the Manhattan College Jaspers to take two of three games in the "Battle of the Bronx" series at Houlihan Park. Manhattan opened the doubleheader with a 2-0 shutout of the Rams, while Fordham pulled out a 9-1 win in game two.
With the split, Fordham improved to 15-8-1 on the year, while Manhattan is now 13-12.
In game one, Matt Simonetti allowed five hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts, while T.J. Stuart recorded a six-out save, as Manhattan shut out Fordham, 2-0.
The Jaspers scored runs in the fourth and ninth innings on an RBI-single by Matt Padre and a bases loaded walk to Paul Genners. Fordham had multiple chances to score, as the Rams left 10 runners on base and finished the game 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
The Jaspers win spoiled an excellent pitching effort from Fordham's duo of
Ben Greenberg and
Brian Weissert. Greenberg (3-1) took his first loss of the season, allowing one run on three hits and tied a career-high with seven strikeouts, while Weissert gave up one run on two hits over four innings with a career-high six strikeouts. At the plate,
Billy Godrick was 2-for-5 with two stolen bases with
Reiss Knehr going 2-for-4. The remaining two hits for Fordham were doubles by
Justin Bardwell and
Justin Machado.
In game two, Fordham used a pair of offensive outbursts in the third and sixth innings, while
Anthony DiMeglio allowed just one run on two hits in seven innings, as the Rams took the rubber game from the Jaspers, 9-1.
In the third, Fordham had runners at second and third with one out after a walk, a hit by pitch, and three stolen bases.
Jake Baker then scored on a passed ball with
Billy Godrick moving to third.
Jake MacKenzie then walked and stole second to put two runners in scoring position for
Matt Tarabek. Tarabek then lined a single up the middle to score both runners.
After a solo home run by Fabian Pena made it 3-1 Fordham, the Rams took advantage of two Manhattan errors to make it a 7-1 game, highlighted by a two-run single by Machado.
The Rams then closed out the scoring with two runs in the seventh, capped by an RBI-single by Bardwell.
Matt Tarabek
Anthony DiMeglio (3-0) posted his best start of the season in the win, throwing a career-long seven innings, giving up just one run on two hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.
Kyle Martin and
Brandon Martin then closed out the game with a scoreless inning each.
Offensively, Fordham stole nine bases in the game and finished the weekend 17-for-18 in that department. Tarabek finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, while MacKenzie scored two runs on two walks and had four stolen bases.
Jake Baker also had two runs to go with three stolen bases in the game.
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Tuesday, April 3
rd, when the Rams host Siena College at Houlihan Park, beginning at 6:00 PM.
