Baseball Topples Sacred Heart, 12-3

Bronx, N.Y. – (March 12, 2019) – The Fordham baseball team kept things rolling at Houlihan Park on Tuesday afternoon, showing off their team speed all over the basepaths, as the Rams totaled seven extra-base hits and five stolen bases in a 12-3 win over the Sacred Heart Pioneers.
 
With the win, Fordham extended its win streak to seven games, improving to 10-6 on the year, while Sacred Heart fell to 3-11.  The seven-game win streak is Fordham's longest since 2011.
 
After Sacred Heart took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Fordham answered back with a run in the bottom of the inning.  Jake MacKenzie connected on a two-out triple to right center and then scored on a single by Justin Bardwell.
 
The Rams then took the lead in the second inning, as Alvin Melendez singled to left, stole second, and scored on a double by Jake Baker.

Fordham then added to the lead with two runs in the third and three in the fifth for a 7-1 lead.  In the third, Matt Tarabek led off with a triple to center field and scored on a double by MacKenzie.  MacKenzie then scored on a single from Bardwell.  Then in the fifth, the Rams picked up runs on a Bardwell ground out, a squeeze bunt by Melendez, and an RBI-single by Billy Godrick.
 
Sacred Heart got a pair of runs back in the sixth, but Fordham replied with a five-run seventh inning to put away the game by a 12-3 score.
 
Melendez (1-0) earned the win on the mound, as he pitched the first three innings, allowing one run on two hits with a career-high six strikeouts, while also going 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple, two runs scored and a stolen base.  Matt Mikulski, Mike Cowell, and Nick Labella each threw a scoreless inning, with Gabe Karslo tossing three innings with four strikeouts.
 
At the plate, MacKenzie had the big day, recording a career-high five hits, as he went 5-for-5 with two doubles, two triples, two RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases.  It was the first five-hit game for a Ram since Luke Stampfl in 2017.  Bardwell was 2-for-4 with three RBI with Tarabek going 2-for-5 with a triple, three runs scored, and a stolen base.  Baker added a 2-for-4 afternoon with a double and an RBI, while Godrick was 1-for-3 with two RBI.
 
The Rams will next be in action on Wednesday, March 10^th, as Fordham hosts Wagner at 3:00 PM.