Baseball Blanks Manhattan, 9-0

Bronx, N.Y. – (March 20, 2019) – Eight Fordham pitchers combined to throw a six-hit shutout, while three Rams hit home runs, as the Fordham baseball team blanked the Manhattan Jaspers, 9-0, in the annual Battle of the Bronx at Houlihan Park.
 
With the win, Fordham improved to 12-9 on the season, while Manhattan fell to 4-14.
 
The action started right away, as Fordham got out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning.  Andy Semo connected on a solo home run to left, just clearing the wall, for his first career hit and home run.
 
Fordham made it 2-0 in the third.  Jake MacKenzie legged out a two-out double, stole third, and scored on a throwing error.
 
The Rams then blew the game open with a five-run fourth inning to go up by a 7-0 count.  Jake Guercio drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a double by Semo.  After Jake Baker drew a walk, Alvin Melendez cracked a grand slam home run to left for his second round tripper of the year.  The Rams kept the pressure on, as one out later, Jake MacKenzie tripled to right center and was followed by an RBI-double by Matt Tarabek.  

The Rams tacked on single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to extend the lead to 9-0.  In the sixth, Melendez ripped a double down the right field line, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a ground out by C.J. Vazquez.  The seventh inning saw Nick Labella leadoff the inning with a fly ball to left, which the left fielder could not find, allowing Labella to come all the way around to score on an inside the park home run.  It was his third home run of the season.

 

The nine runs of support was plenty for the Fordham pitching staff, as eight pitchers combined for a six-hit shutout.  Melendez (2-0) got the win, as he pitched the first two innings, recording three strikeouts.  Anthony DiMeglio, Brian Weissert, and Anthony Zimmerman each had two strikeouts in their one inning of work respectively, while Marc Bisogno, Mike Cowell, and Gabe Karslo, and Michael Ghiorzi each had a scoreless frame.
 
At the plate, Melendez was 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored, and four RBI, while MacKenzie was 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, a stolen base, and two runs scored.  Semo went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, and two runs scored as well.
 
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Friday, March 22^nd, when the Rams open Atlantic 10 action against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies.  Game time is slated for 3:00 PM at Houlihan Park.