Baseball Hosts Rhode Island for A-10 Series

Bronx, N.Y. – (April 5, 2023) – The Fordham baseball team begins a seven-game homestand on Thursday afternoon against the Rhode Island Rams to start a pivotal Atlantic 10 series at Houlihan Park.
 
Fordham and Rhode Island both started league play last weekend at 1-2, as Fordham fell twice to Davidson, before winning the series finale, while Rhode Island won the middle game of its three-game series with George Mason.

UPDATE: Thursday's game has been moved to an 11:00 AM start.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS/GAME COVERAGE:
Thursday – 11:00 AM - Fordham – RHP Declan Lavelle (0-2, 7.77 ERA) vs. Rhode Island – RHP Sean Sposato (1-3, 7.03 ERA) // Live Video (ESPN+) | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Friday – 11:00 AM - Fordham – RHP Gabe Karslo (2-3, 7.60 ERA) vs. Rhode Island – LHP Trystan Levesque (4-2, 4.00 ERA) // Live Video (MSG/ESPN+) | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
Saturday – 12:00 PM - Fordham – LHP Austin Sachen (0-0, 10.08 ERA) vs. Rhode Island – RHP Braden Perry (2-3, 8.78 ERA) // Live Video (ESPN3) | Live Stats | Twitter - @FordhamBaseball
 
OPPONENT OUTLOOK: Rhode Island is 9-15 on the season, following a loss to Bryant on Tuesday, with a 1-2 mark in the Atlantic 10.  URI is hitting .256 as a team with a 7.32 team ERA.  Billy Butler is the team's top hitter at .318 with six doubles, two home runs, and 17 RBI, while Michael Anderson is batting .301 with 15 runs scored, eight doubles, four home runs, and 23 RBI.  On the hill, Trystan Levesque has been URI's top starting pitcher with a 4-2 record in seven starts with a 4.00 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 36 innings, while the best bullpen arm has been Ryan Andrade, who has three saves and a 2.19 ERA in nine appearances.
 
SERIES HISTORY: The Fordham and Rhode Island series history dates back to 1913 with URI holding a 38-33 series edge.  Last year, the Battle of the Rams went to Rhode Island, as URI won two of three games up in Kingston.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Siena's Aiden Stewart and Danny Barbero each had three hits, including a home run, as the Saints took home an 11-3 win over the Fordham Rams on Tuesday afternoon in Loudonville, N.Y.
 
The game started poorly for the Rams, as the first six Siena batters reached base leading to a 3-0 lead for the Saints and forcing Fordham starter Dominic Cunha from the game.  The Saints added another run in the first for a 4-0 lead.
 
After the Saints made it 5-0 in the second, Fordham got on the scoreboard in the third, as Chris Genaro led off with a single to left and moved to third on a double by Ryan Thiesse.  After a foul out, Daniel Bucciero drew his second walk of the game to load the bases.  Peter DeMaria then clubbed a double down the left field line, scoring Genaro and Thiesse to make it, 5-2.
 
Siena went on to score the next five runs to build up a 10-2 lead after seven innings.
 
Fordham got a run in the eighth inning on a solo home run to center by T.J. Wachter, his first of the season, but Siena answered with a solo home run by Vincenzo Castronovo to make it, 11-3.

 
POWER SURGE: One of the big differences from a year ago has been Fordham's ability to hit the long ball in 2023.  Fordham has 21 home runs on the year, which is ahead of 2022, where the Rams had only 15 through 29 games.  Zach Selinger leads the Rams with a career-high six, while Will Findlay and Peter DeMaria each have four.
 
GOIN' STREAKIN': Freshman Tommy McAndrews is batting .406 (13-32) in his last ten games, recording nine runs scored, three doubles, three home run, and nine RBI… Senior Zach Selinger is batting .385 (15-39) over his last 12 games with 10 runs scored, four home runs, and 17 RBI… Graduate student Peter DeMaria is batting .311 (14-45) in his last 13 games with 13 runs scored, three home runs, and 10 RBI… Junior Ryan Thiesse is on a career-long seven-game hitting streak, batting .357 (10-28) in that stretch with six runs scored, eight RBI, and six stolen bases… Junior Nolan Hughes has not allowed a run in his last five appearances, giving up just four hits with 23 strikeouts over 14.1 innings… Senior Ben Kovel is 1-0 with four saves in his last five appearances, allowing just two hits with six strikeouts.

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 continues its homestand with a Wednesday, April 12^th game against Columbia, while hosting George Washington for an Atlantic 10 series, April 14-16.