Baseball To Host Four Games This Weekend

Bronx, N.Y. – (March 7, 2019) – After posting its first series win last weekend, the Fordham baseball team will look to continue that momentum at home at the friendly confines of Houlihan Park, as the Rams will host a set of round robin games with Iona and Hofstra, March 8-10.
 
Due to the weather forecast, the game have shifted around with Fordham taking on Iona on March 8^th and 9^th with both games at 11:00 AM, while the Rams will meet Hofstra on March 9^th at 3:00 PM and March 10^th at noon.  Iona will also play Hofstra on March 8^th at 3:00 PM.
 
The Rams (5-6) enter the weekend after winning three of four games against Maryland Eastern Shore.  The Fordham pitching staff led the way, posting a 2.03 ERA for the weekend, led by sophomores John Stankiewicz and Joseph Quintal, who each recorded a win and a career-high nine strikeouts in their respective starts, while junior Kyle Martin earned a pair of saves out of the bullpen.
 
PROBABLE STATERS/GAME COVERAGE
Friday (G1): Fordham – RHP Alvin Melendez (0-0, 0.93) vs. Iona - RHP Stephen Hansen (0-1, 3.24) // Live Audio | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Friday (G2): Iona – LHP Chris Dodrill (0-3, 11.25) vs. Hofstra – RHP Brad Camarda (1-1, 6.75) // Live Stats
 
Saturday (G1): Fordham - RHP Joseph Quintal (1-0, 2.70) vs. Iona - RHP Hunter Silbey (0-1, 5.23) // Live Video (weather permitting) | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Saturday (G2): Fordham – RHP John Stankiewicz (2-0, 1.35) vs. Hofstra - LHP Ryan Rue (1-1, 4.63) // Live Video (weather permitting)  | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Sunday: Fordham – TBA vs. Hofstra - TBA // Live Video (weather permitting) | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
SERIES HISTORY: For Fordham and Iona, this will be the 85^th and 86^th all-time meetings between the Rams and the Gaels.  The local rivalry dates back to 1948 with Fordham holding a 55-28-1 lead in the all-time series.  The two teams last met in 2017, where the Rams swept the season series with two victories on March 21^st (10-3) and May 16^th (8-7).
 
In the other match-ups, Fordham and Hofstra will meet for the 75^th & 76^th time on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.  Similar to Iona, the series dates back to the 1940s, where Fordham holds a 49-25 lead in the series, which began in 1942.  The two teams met last season on May 1^st, where the Rams pulled out a 1-0 win in 11 innings on Justin Bardwell's walk-off single, as the Rams tied a school record with 21 strikeouts by Fordham pitching.
 
LAST TIME OUT (3/3): Fordham's John Stankiewicz struck out a career-high nine batters over seven innings, while Justin Machado plated the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, as the Rams posted a 2-1 win over the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks at Perdue Stadium in Princess Anne, Maryland.
 
The Hawks took the initial lead right away in the first inning.  Dillon Oxyer drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a double by Avery Tunnell.  Oxyer then scored on a sacrifice fly by D.J. Doherty for a 1-0 lead.
 
Fordham then tied the game in the fourth inning, as Alvin Melendez was hit by pitch, stole second, and scored on a single by Justin Bardwell.

 
The score remained tied until the seventh, when the Rams grabbed a 2-1 lead.  Billy Godrick reached on an infield single to start the frame and was sacrificed to second by Colton Snelling.  After Godrick stole third, Justin Machado put down the squeeze sacrifice bunt to score Godrick for the go-ahead run.

From there, the Rams' bullpen did the job, as Cory Wall pitched a scoreless eighth, while Kyle Martin recorded a clean ninth for his third save of the season.  Fordham starter John Stankiewiz (2-0) was great for the first seven innings to earn the win, giving up just one run on three hits with a career-high nine strikeouts.  At the plate, Bardwell was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, with Godrick going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base. 

FORDHAM TO HOST 2019 ATLANTIC 10 CHAMPIONSHIP: For the fourth time, Fordham's Houlihan Park will serve as the host site for the Atlantic 10 Championship.  It will take place May 22nd through May 25th.  Previously, the Rams hosted in 2006, 2012, and 2016.
 
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 11 games, the Rams have already racked up 31 stolen bases, which is currently eighth in the country.  Jake MacKenzie leads the Rams with nine swipes thus far with Alvin Melendez right behind him with seven.  In all, ten different Rams have a stolen bases this season. 
 
WHO'S NEXT: The Rams will next be in action with a pair of mid-week contests on March 12^th and 13^th.  Fordham will square off with Sacred Heart on Tuesday at 3:00 PM, while taking on Wagner on Wednesday at 3:00 PM.