Bronx, N.Y. – (February 27, 2020) – The Fordham baseball team looks to continue their momentum following Wednesday's extra-inning win over Sacred Heart this weekend, as the team heads to Greenville, South Carolina for a three-game series with Furman.
The Rams (2-6) face off with the Paladins, who are off to a 5-3 start in 2020. The Furman pitching staff has been very good over the first eight games, posting a 3.88 ERA, led by LHP John Michael Bertrand, who is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 12 innings of work. At the plate, M.J. Sasapan is batting a team-best .318 with seven runs scored and four RBI, Jordan Starkes is at .310 on the year with six runs scored and five RBI. Banks Griffith has a team-high eight RBI with Trent Alley having a pair of home runs and six RBI.
PROBABLE STARTERS/GAME COVERAGE:
Friday - Fordham LHP
Matt Mikulski (0-1, 3.38) vs. Furman RHP Stone Simmons (0-1, 2.70) //
Live Video |
Live Audio |
Live Stats |
Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
Saturday - Fordham RHP
John Stankiewicz (0-1, 1.80) vs. Furman LHP John Michael Bertrand (2-0, 0.75) //
Live Video |
Live Audio |
Live Stats |
Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
Sunday – Fordham RHP
Cory Wall (0-1, 10.29) vs. Furman RHP Rob Hughes (1-0, 2.45) //
Live Video |
Live Audio |
Live Stats |
Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
SERIES HISTORY: The Rams and Paladins have only met once before back in 2016, where Fordham took a 5-2 win as a part of the First Pitch Invitational. In that game, Fordham trailed 2-0 before a five-run eighth inning decided the game, highlighted by a bases loaded double by Ryan McNally.
LAST TIME OUT: Behind a career-best performance from
Alvin Melendez on the mound and some late inning magic, the Fordham Rams posted a 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Sacred Heart Pioneers in 13 innings at Houlihan Park.
The Pioneers had the early momentum, scoring runs in the first, third, and fourth innings for a 3-0 lead. All three runs came on two-out RBI-singles by Jake Frasca (1
st), Sam Mongelli (3
rd), and Stephen Thibault (4
th).
Fordham pulled back within one at 3-2 in the sixth inning with a pair of runs.
Jake MacKenzie started the rally with a one-out single and stole second. He then scored on a ground rule double to left by
Alvin Melendez.
Zach Selinger followed with a single up the middle, scoring Melendez from second.
The Pioneers regained a two-run lead in the top of the eighth at 4-2, as Danny Glendon scored on a single by Joey Skarad after Glendon reached on a triple.
The Rams though would not give up, putting together a ninth-inning rally.
Jason Coules and
C.J. Vazquez led off with back-to-back singles and moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by
Matt Tarabek. MacKenzie then singled through the left side to cut the deficit to 4-3. After a stolen base by MacKenzie, Melendez plated Vazquez with a sacrifice fly to center and tie the game at four.
Jason Coules
Each team had chances in extra inning to go back ahead, but it wasn't until the 13
th inning, when the Rams walked off with a win.
Jake Guercio drilled a ground rule double down the left field line to start the inning. Coules followed with a drive to left that went in and out of the leftfielder's glove, allowing Guercio to score the game-winning tally.
Six Fordham pitchers threw in the game, highlighted by a career-best effort from Melendez (1-0) in relief. He tied a career-long with five innings pitched and recorded a career-high nine strikeouts to earn the win. Melendez also went 2-for-5 at the plate with a double, two RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base.
Ben Kovel made the start, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts over his two innings, while
Marc Bisogno gave up two runs on three hits with three strikeouts.
Jack Popolizio tossed two innings of one-hit relief with
Alex Henderson and
Gabe Karslo accounting for one inning each. Aside from Melendez, Coules, Vazquez, and MacKenzie were all 2-for-5 in the game with a run scored. Coules and MacKenzie also added two stolen bases each.
MACKENZIE NAMED TO BRAGAN AWARD WATCH LIST (2/20): The Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award (BBCSA) presented by SR Bats announced the players on its watch list for the 2020 college baseball season. The award, created by the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, was open to nominations from all Division I baseball programs in the country. The BBCSA is based on performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity.
This year's watch list consists of 36 players representing 16 conferences around the country, and among those listed is Fordham shortstop
Jake MacKenzie. In his third season at Fordham, MacKenzie is coming off another excellent season where he helped the Rams to the 2019 A-10 Championship. He led the conference in stolen bases for the second straight year and set career-highs across the board in 2019, batting .305 with 49 runs scored, 15 doubles, three home runs, and 28 RBI. In the classroom, MacKenzie is a Business Administration major and a two-year member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
HOT START: Eight games into the 2020 campaign, a number of Rams have gotten out to stellar starts. Sophomore
Jason Coules leads the Rams with a .375 batting average, six runs scored, two home runs, and seven RBI, while junior
Jake MacKenzie is hitting .370 with four runs scored, a home run, and five RBI.
Alvin Melendez is also at the top of the offensive stars early with a .360 batting average, five runs scored, four doubles, three RBI, and three stolen bases.
WHO'S NEXT: The Rams begin a six-game homestand next week, starting with a Wednesday game against NJIT at 3:00 PM, followed by a three-game series with Iona, March 6-8 at Houlihan Park.
