Baseball Travels to UNF for Four-Game Series

Bronx, N.Y. – (March 2, 2023) – After missing out on playing at home on Wednesday, the Fordham baseball team is back on the road this weekend, as the Rams head to Jacksonville to face North Florida in a four-game series.
 
Fordham (0-6) looks to break into the win column for the first time after being swept by Dallas Baptist and Old Dominion in the first two weeks of the season, while North Florida (4-5) is coming off a 12-6 loss to Florida A&M on Tuesday.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS/GAME COVERAGE:
Friday - Fordham – RHP Gabe Karslo (0-1, 3.38 ERA) vs. North Florida – LHP Peter Holden (0-1, 3.00 ERA) // Live Video | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Saturday (G1) - Fordham – RHP Ben Kovel (0-2, 18.00 ERA) vs. North Florida – LHP Tony Roca (0-1, 7.27 ERA) // Live Video | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Saturday (G2) - Fordham – TBA vs. North Florida - TBA // Live Video | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Sunday - Fordham – RHP Declan Lavelle (0-0, 7.36 ERA) vs. North Florida – RHP Avery Love (0-0, 8.64 ER) // Live Video | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball

SERIES HISTORY: Fordham and North Florida played against each other in one four-game series back in 2019, where the two teams each won two games.  In that series, Gabe Karslo closed out game two of that series to earn his first career save, pitching two scoreless innings.

 
OPPONENT OUTLOOK: North Florida is 4-5 this season, having won series against Murray State and Villanova so far.  The Ospreys have hit well out of the gate, batting .291 as a team and averaging seven runs per game.  The team has also hit 18 home runs from 10 different players, led by Cade Reich and Alex Lodise, who each have three.  Reich is also hitting .394 with 12 runs scored and 10 RBI on the year.  On the hill, North Florida has a 6.78 ERA and is allowing a .294 batting average.
 
LAST TIME OUT: After being rained out on Saturday, the Fordham baseball team dropped by ends of a doubleheader at Old Dominion on Sunday at Bud Metheny Ballpark in Norfolk, Virginia.
 
In the opening game, Robbie O'Neal drove in a game-high four runs to lead Old Dominion to an 11-3 win.
 
After a scoreless first inning, the Monarchs used the long ball to score three runs in second for a 3-0 lead.  Alex Bouche led off the inning with a solo home run to left center, followed by a two-run home run to center by Robbie O'Neal.  The long ball struck again in the fourth inning, when Camden Grimes hit a solo home run to left center to extend Old Dominion's lead to 4-0.
 
Fordham got on the board in the top of the fifth, as the Rams loaded the bases on a single by Jack Vallario, an error, and a hit by pitch.  Peter DeMaria then drove in the Rams' opening run with an infield single to make it 4-1.  ODU got that run right back as Hunter Fitz-Gerald hit a solo home run to make it 5-1.
 
The Rams picked up two runs in the eighth to cut the deficit to 5-3.  Michael Brueser led off with a walk and moved to second on a single by Daniel Bucciero.  TJ Wachter then laced a two-run double to right field to score Brueser and Bucciero.
 
The Monarchs then punctuated the game with a six-run eighth inning to finish off the 11-3 win.
 
For Fordham, Bucciero and Jack Vallario each had two hits in the game to lead the offense. 
 
In game two, Fordham got off to a good start with a solo home run by DeMaria in the first inning for a 1-0 lead.
 
The Monarchs answered with the next 19 runs, going on to the 19-1 win.  Old Dominion totaled 11 extra-base hits in the game, which included four home runs, led by Luke Waters, who was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double, two home runs, and four RBI.
 
For Fordham, Ryan Thiesse and Michael Taylor each had two hits in the game, as the Rams totaled seven hits.
 
HELLO, MY NAME IS…: One of the big storylines for Fordham this season is the influx of new talent, as the Rams welcome 17 new players in 2023, which includes seven transfers, five of which are graduate student transfers.  Among the newcomers, the Rams are looking forward to seeing Peter DeMaria in the line-up a graduate transfer from Tufts University, a three-time NESCAC All-Conference selection and a 2022 ABCA/Rawling First Team All-Region selection.  In his opening six games, DeMaria hit .316 with a double, a home run and three RBI.  Another newcomer to have a good start was infielder Daniel Bucciero, who is hitting .412 in five games, with three doubles, and three RBI.

RAMSES CHALLENGE: As a part of a new fundraising challenge this season, fans can pledge support for the team in the Ramses Challenge for each win, home run hit, or pitcher's strikeout this season.    Be a part of the challenge by clicking here.
 
WHO'S NEXT: The Rams return to the Bronx on Tuesday, March 7^th, to begin a six-game homestand against Stony Brook.