Baseball Opens Atlantic 10 Play Against St. Bonaventure

Bronx, N.Y. – (March 21, 2019) – With a 9-3 record over its last 12 games, the Fordham baseball team has momentum going into its first Atlantic 10 series of the season, as the Rams host the St. Bonaventure Bonnies this weekend at Houlihan Park.  Game times are scheduled for 3:00 PM on Friday, 2:00 PM on Saturday, and noon on Sunday.
 
Fresh off a shutout win over Manhattan on Wednesday, Fordham (12-9) continues to pitch very well with an amazing 1.65 team ERA for the month of March, while holding opponents to a .203 batting average.  The bullpen has been even better in March, recording three wins, four saves, and a 0.67 ERA.
 
For St. Bonaventure, the Bonnies are coming off an 11-5 win over Bucknell to improve to 2-9 on the season.  The team features Alex Schutz and Tyler Kelder, who are both off to great starts in 2019.  Schutz is batting a team-best .386 with seven doubles and nine RBI in 11 games, while Kelder is batting .385 with a team-best nine runs scored and 12 RBI.  
 
PROBABLE STARTERS/GAME COVERAGE:
Friday: Fordham – LHP Matt Mikulski (1-3, 5.16) vs. St. Bonaventure - RHP Tyler Germanowski (0-1, 11.81) // Live Video | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Saturday: Fordham - RHP John Stankiewicz (3-1, 1.03) vs. St. Bonaventure – RHP Braydon Nelson (1-0, 3.93) // Live Video | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball

Sunday: Fordham – RHP Alvin Melendez (2-0, 1.62) vs. St. Bonaventure – RHP Ben Contento (0-2, 9.31) // Live Video | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
SERIES HISTORY: For Fordham and St. Bonaventure, the teams have met 62 times previously, the vast majority as members of the Atlantic 10.  Fordham holds a 36-26 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1907.  The Rams have gotten the better of St. Bonaventure in recent years, winning 12 of 15 match-ups since 2012.  The two teams last met in the final series of 2017, where Fordham took two of three games.
 
LAST TIME OUT (3/20): 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.
 
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.

 
WE'RE GOING STREAKIN': For the month of March, sophomore Jake MacKenzie has been the Rams' hottest hitter, batting .393 with 13 runs scored, six doubles, four triples, 11 RBI, and 15 stolen bases… Junior Alvin Melendez is hitting .333 in March with 10 runs scored, two home runs, and 10 RBI to go with seven stolen bases… Sophomore C.J. Vazquez is at .348 for March with five runs scored and five stolen bases…  On the hill in March, sophomore John Stankiewicz is 2-1 with a 0.90 ERA in three starts with 25 strikeouts in 20 innings… Melendez is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 11 innings… Junior Kyle Martin has a 0.00 ERA in six relief appearances, posting a win, three saves and 11 strikeouts.
 
MEN OF STEAL: After leading the nation with a school record 169 stolen bases last season, Fordham has picked up right where they left off in 2019.  Through the first 21 games, the Rams have already racked up 65 stolen bases, which is second in the country, behind only Wofford with 77.  Jake MacKenzie leads the Rams with 19 swipes thus far, good for fourth in the nation, with Alvin Melendez right behind him with 12.  In all, 13 different Rams have a stolen base this season. 
 
WHO'S NEXT: Following this weekend, Fordham will hit the road for four games, starting with a Tuesday match-up at Sacred Heart, before heading to Rhode Island for a three-game Atlantic 10 series.