Baseball Plays Stony Brook & Sacred Heart in Mid-Week Action

Bronx, N.Y. – (March 9, 2021) – Following a series sweep of NJIT to open the season, the Fordham baseball team has a pair of mid-week contests this week, as the Rams travel to Stony Brook on Tuesday for a 2:00 PM game, while hosting Sacred Heart on Wednesday at 2:30 PM.
 
The Rams are 3-0 for the first time since the 2005 season, while Stony Brook is 2-3 on the season after dropping both ends of a doubleheader to Massachusetts on Sunday.  Sacred Heart is 1-6 on the year after four losses to St. John's over the weekend.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS/GAME COVERAGE:
Tuesday: Fordham – RHP Cameron Knox (0-0, 0.00) vs. Stony Brook – RHP Nick DeGennaro (1-0, 0.00) // Live Video (AETV) | Live Audio (SBU) | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Wednesday: Fordham - RHP Gabe Karslo (1-0, 0.00)  vs. Sacred Heart - LHP Chase Jeter // Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
SERIES HISTORY: This is the first of two meetings between Fordham and Stony Brook, as they will also play on March 17^th.  The two teams have not played since 2016 with Stony Brook holding a 17-4 all-time series lead.  For Sacred Heart, the Rams were scheduled to play the Pioneers five times in February, but due to the University pause those games were postponed, so this is now the first of two meetings with the second on March 24^th.  Fordham holds a 7-5 all-time series lead, having won last year's meeting, 5-4, in 13 innings.
 
LAST TIME OUT (3/7): It was still a bit cold at Houlihan Park on Sunday afternoon, but the Fordham Rams stayed hot in their opening baseball series, taking both ends of a doubleheader from the NJIT Highlanders to complete a series sweep.  Fordham is now 3-0 for first time since 2005.
 
In game one, Nick Labella drove in C.J. Vazquez with an RBI-single in the bottom of the 11th inning to complete a 5-4 walk-off come-from-behind win for the Rams.
 
After NJIT took the initial 1-0 lead in the first, Fordham scored twice in the third for a 2-1 lead.  The Rams got three consecutive doubles from C.J. Vazquez, Casey Brown, and Jason Coules to net the two runs with Brown and Coules each getting an RBI.  The score stayed that way until the seventh, as NJIT scored three times to take a 4-2 edge.  The Rams got a run back in the bottom of the frame to make it 4-3 on an RBI-double by Nick Labella, scoring Coules, who doubled earlier in the inning.
 
Then in the ninth, Fordham loaded the bases with two outs on singles by Vazquez and Zach Selinger and a walk to Labella.  A pitch then squeaked through the legs of NJIT catcher Paul Franzoni to allow Vazquez to score on a passed ball.  The game went into the 11th inning, where Fordham completed the comeback.  With Vazquez and Coules at first and second with two outs, the duo pulled off a double steal to put the winning run at third.  Labella then roped a single to left center over the shortstop to score Vazquez for the walk-off win.
 
Vazquez finished 2-for-5 in the game with a double, three runs scored, and a career-high four stolen bases.  Coules was 2-for-4 with two doubles, two stolen bases, and a run scored, while Labella was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.  On the hill, Gabe Karslo (1-0) got the win in relief, pitching the final two innings of the game, allowing one hit.  Brooks Ey made his debut as the starter, allowing one run on three hits with five strikeouts over four innings of work.  Michael Ghiorzi pitched 2.1 innings of relief, allowing one earned run with Ben Kovel throwing 2.2 innings of one-hit relief.

 
Game two saw more of the same as the Rams came away with an 8-2 win in seven innings.  Fordham opened up a 4-0 lead by the third inning, scoring once in the first on an error, while picking up three in the third inning on RBI-singles from Coules and Labella and an RBI-double by Selinger.
 
NJIT netted a run in the fourth, but Fordham broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning for an 8-1 lead.  Selinger opened the frame with a single and stole second.  Colton Snelling then looped a double into left center that couldn't be caught, allowing Selinger to move to third.  After a walk to Jake Guercio loaded the bases, Selinger scored on a wild pitch.  Vazquez hen lifted a fly ball to right which the right fielder dropped, allowing two runs to score.  The Rams then capped the inning with an RBI-triple by Coules.  NJIT scored once in the seventh for the 8-2 final score.
 
Garrett Crowley (1-0) earned the win in his first start, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts over four innings of work.  Cameron Knox pitched two hitless innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts, while Joseph Quintal had a strikeout in the final inning.  At the plate, Coules was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI, as he extended his hit streak from last season to 16 games.  Selinger went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI with Vazquez going 1-for-3 with three runs scored and a stolen base.
              
HOME SWEET HOME: Fordham has clearly felt right at home at Houlihan Park of the last few years.  Dating back to the end of the 2019 season with a May sweep of La Salle through this past weekend's sweep of NJIT, the Rams have won their last 17 games played at Houlihan Park.
 
NO "COULING" OFF PERIOD HERE: The Rams' hottest hitter in the abbreviated 2020 season picked up right where he left off, as junior outfielder Jason Coules was a force in the opening series against NJIT.  Having hit safely in his final 13 games of 2020, Coules extended his personal-best hit streak to 16 games, with hits in all three games against NJIT.  He hit .455 (5-11) for the weekend with two doubles, a triple, and four RBI.  Coules also added three stolen bases

WHO'S NEXT: The Rams will next be in action this weekend, as Fordham hosts Fairleigh Dickinson at Houlihan Park for a three-game series.  Friday's game is set for 2:00 PM with Saturday and Sunday being noon starts.