Baseball Travels to George Mason for Pivotal A-10 Series

Bronx, N.Y. – (April 21, 2022) – The Fordham baseball team heads to Virginia this weekend, as the Rams hit the mid-point of conference play against the George Mason Patriots.  The Rams start the all-important three-game series on Friday at 3:00 PM in Fairfax with Saturday's game at 2:00 PM and Sunday at 1:00 PM.
 
Fordham (8-25, 3-6 A10) will look for its second straight series win on conference play, having done so last weekend against Dayton.  George Mason (12-23, 4-5 A10) is also coming off its first series win, sneaking two of three games away from Saint Louis last week.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS/GAME COVERAGE:
Friday: Fordham – LHP Trey Maeker (0-1) vs. George Mason – RHP Chat Gartland (1-1) // Live Video (ESPN+) | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Saturday: Fordham – RHP Cameron Knox (3-2) vs. George Mason – LHP Ben Shields (1-2) // Live Video (ESPN+) | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Sunday: Fordham – RHP Brooks Ey (2-5) vs. George Mason – RHP Danny Hosley (3-3) // Live Video (ESPN+) | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
OPPONENT OUTLOOK: George Mason enters the weekend hitting .267 as a team with a 5.4 runs per game average.  Brett Stallings is having a solid season, batting .311 with team-highs of 22 runs scored and 26 RBI, while South Trimble and Brett Ahalt are hitting .354 and 352, respectively.  Trimble has also scored 22 runs this season with Ahlat driving in 19 runs.  On the mound the Patriots boast a 6.32 ERA with a .267 opponent batting average.  Jared Lyons has been the most consistent starter, making 10 starts in his 11 appearances, posting a 4-4 record with a 5.68 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 57.0 innings.
 
SERIES HISTORY: The Rams and Patriots have met 18 times in their series history, which dates back to 1968.  George Mason holds a 10-8 edge in the series, as the teams last met in 2019.  Fordham would take two of three games in that 2019 series down in Fairfax.
 
LAST TIME OUT: In an error-filled game that featured seven errors between the two teams, the Fairfield Stags were able to sneak away with a 6-5 win over the Fordham Rams at Houlihan Park on Wednesday.
 
Fordham (8-25) were the beneficiaries of a couple of early mistakes, building a 3-0 lead by the second inning.  In the first, Richard Grund reached base on an error and then went to third on a stolen base and an errant throw.  Andy Semo followed with an RBI-single for the 1-0 lead, scoring Grund.

 
The second inning saw the Rams load the bases on three straight walks to Nico Boza, Jason Coules, and Chris Genaro.  Ryan Thiesse then plated Boza and Coules with a two-run single to left for a 3-0 edge.  Fairfield (20-15) knotted the game at three in the fourth inning on a three-run home run by Matt Zaffino, his fifth of the season.
 
Fordham regained the lead in the fifth, as with one out, Cian Sahler doubled to right.  Semo then hit a groundball to third that went right through the legs of the third baseman to put runners at the corners.  Will Findlay then plated Sahler with a sacrifice fly to left for a 4-3 advantage.
 
The Stags though rallied for three runs in the sixth inning to go up by a 6-4 count.  Zaffino started things with an RBI-single to tie the game.  Fairfield then loaded the bases and netted runs on a wild pitch and an infield single for the two-run lead.
 
Fordham tried to put together a ninth-inning rally, getting the potential game-winning run to the plate.  With one out, Jason Coules drew a walk and moved to third, as Jack Harnisch reached on an error to put runners at the corners.  Sebastian Mexico hit a ground ball to shortstop, but Mexico was able to beat out a double play ball to score Coules.  Mexico though would end the game as he was caught stealing at second base.
 
For Fordham, Sahler (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs, only one of which was earned, on three hits over 1.2 innings of work.  At the plate, Fordham managed only four hits in the game, and one only one over the final seven innings of play.
 
HEATING UP: Over the last 17 games, Cian Sahler has been red-hot, batting .418 (23-55) with 10 runs scored, seven extra-base hits, and 12 RBI… Zach Selinger is hitting .317 in his last 14 games (13-41) with 11 runs scored and six RBI… After missing the first 29 games, David Kale finally entered the Rams' lineup, hitting .500 (5-10) over the three-game series with Dayton, posting a home run and four RBI… Over his last 10 appearances, Ben Kovel is 1-0 with three saves, a 1.06 ERA, and 16 strikeouts over 17.0 innings… Joseph Quintal has straightened things out after a difficult start, posting a 1.88 ERA over his last seven appearances with a save and 15 strikeouts in 14.1 innings of work… Gabe Karslo has a 1.98 ERA in his last three appearances with 15 strikeouts in 13.2 innings of work.
 
WHO'S NEXT: Following the series with George Mason, Fordham will next be in action on Tuesday, April 26^th, when the Rams host Iona for a 3:00 PM game at Houlihan Park.