Bronx, N.Y. – (March 23, 2023) – The Fordham baseball team is back on the field this weekend with a split three-game series against the Seton Hall Pirates. Due to rain expected on Saturday, the two teams will play a 1:00 PM doubleheader at Seton Hall on Friday, while Sunday's single game will be at Fordham's Houlihan Park.
The Rams (7-14) enter the game after a 15-6 win over Siena on Tuesday afternoon, where Fordham pounded out 14 hits in the game. Seton Hall enters the series on a four-game win streak after mid-week wins over Saint Peter's and NJIT.
PROBABLE STARTERS/GAME COVERAGE:
Friday (G1) – 1:00 PM - Fordham – RHP
Gabe Karslo (1-2, 5.40 ERA) vs. Seton Hall – RHP Brennan O'Neill (0-2, 6.30 ERA) //
Live Video (FloSports) |
Live Stats |
Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
Friday (G2) – 4:00 PM - Fordham – RHP
Declan Lavelle (0-1, 6.75 ERA) vs. Seton Hall – RHP Daniel Frontera (1-1, 6.35 ERA) //
Live Video (FloSports) |
Live Stats |
Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
Sunday – 1:00 PM - Fordham – LHP
Austin Sachen (0-0, 11.49 ERA) vs. Seton Hall – RHP Cole Hansen (2-0, 0.49 ERA) //
Live Audio |
Live Stats |
Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
OPPONENT OUTLOOK: The Pirates are 8-9 on the year, having won their last four games. The squad is hitting .251 as a team, while posting a 4.20 team ERA. Offensively, Oscar Murray is the team's top hitter at .433 on the year with three doubles and seven runs scored, while Pat D'Amico is batting .311 with 12 runs scored and 11 RBI. On the hill, Cole Hansen has been very good, going 2-0 with a 0.49 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 18.1 innings of work, while Brennan O'Neill is the team leader in strikeouts (24) and innings pitched (20.0).
SERIES HISTORY: Fordham and Seton Hall have one of the oldest running series in collegiate baseball, dating back to 1863. The Pirates hold a 40-33-2 edge in the series with the last meetings coming in 2021, where Seton Hall won two of three games against the Rams with Fordham winning the final game of the series, 1-0, behind a two-hit shutout by Matt Mikulski.
LAST TIME OUT: The Fordham bats came alive on Tuesday afternoon for 15 runs, led by
Zach Selinger's grand slam home run and career-high six RBI, as the Rams defeated the Siena Saints, 15-6, at Houlihan Park.
Fordham kicked things off by loading the bases in the first inning, as
Daniel Bucciero doubled with one out, followed by a single by
Peter DeMaria and a walk to
Will Findlay.
Zach Selinger then cleared the bases with a grand slam home run to left for his third home run of the season.
Siena answered with a two-run home run in the top of the second by Vincenzo Castronovo, but Fordham scored three in the bottom of the inning to lead 7-2.
Nico Boza led off with a double to left center, while
Cian Sahler reached on a bunt single. After Boza scored on a passed ball, Bucciero tripled to right center to score Sahler. DeMaria capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to score Bucciero.
The Saints then rallied for four runs in the top of the third to make it a 7-6 game, highlighted by a two-run double by Kobe Stenson and a two-run home run by Vincent DiNicola.
The Rams then took back control of the game in the fifth, scoring seven times to take a 14-6 lead. Fordham scored on a two-run single by Selinger, an RBI-double by Sahler, a sacrifice fly by DeMaria, and an RBI-single by
Diego Prieto. The Rams also picked up two runs on an error.
Fordham capped the scoring in the eighth inning for a 15-6 final, as Prieto, who reached on a double, scored on an infield single by
T.J. Wachter.
For Fordham, Selinger was 2-for-4 with a home run and a career-high six RBI, while
Diego Prieto was 3-for-5 with a double, two run scored, and an RBI. Boza and Sahler each had two hits and two runs scored with Bucciero going 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, three runs scored and an RBI. On the mound,
Dominic Cunha (2-1) made the start, allowing four earned runs over four innings with four strikeouts, while reliever
Nolan Hughes struck out four over two innings.
Trey Maeker,
William Simeone, and
Gannon Brady then pitched one scoreless inning each to close out the win.
GOIN' STREAKIN': Senior
Will Findlay is batting .444 in his last nine games with four doubles, ten runs scored, and eight RBI… Senior
Zach Selinger is hitting .357 with a home run and 10 RBI in hist last ten games… Graduate student
Peter DeMaria has five doubles, a home run, and 10 RBI in his last 11 games… Freshman
Aric Berg is 2-1 in his last five appearances with a 0.71 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 12.2 innings… Junior
Nolan Hughes has 10 strikeouts in his last two appearances (five innings).
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: After this weekend, Fordham will host Hartford on Tuesday, March 28
th, before heading to Davidson for a three-game series to open Atlantic 10 play.
