Arlington, Va. – (March 15, 2025) – The Fordham baseball team completed their opening Atlantic 10 series on Saturday afternoon, by splitting a doubleheader at Tucker Field at Barcroft Park in Arlington, Virginia. The split ensured a series win for the Rams, as the team improved to 6-13 overall, 2-1 in the Atlantic 10.
In game one, Fordham's
Beau Elson tossed four scoreless innings of relief, while
Daniel Bucciero and
Matt Dieguez each had three hits as the Rams took game one of the doubleheader, 7-3.
The contest began with a wild first inning, where each team scored three runs with opportunities for more.
Andrew Kanellis started the scoring for Fordham with an RBI-single after
Taylor Kirk walked and stole second and third. Kanellis later scored on a failed pickoff attempt, while
Daniel Bucciero scored on an RBI-single by
Matt Dieguez after Bucciero reached base on a single.
George Washington matched that scoring, beginning with a leadoff home run by Sam Gates, his first of the season. After a walk, Robbie Lavey connected on an RBI-double and then scored on an RBI-single from Conlon Walker. The Revolutionaries were primed for more, but Fordham turned an inning-ending double play to keep the game tied at three.
The score stayed that way until the eighth, when Fordham regained the lead at 6-3. Dieguez led off with a double, while
Tommy McAndrews was hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt,
Jack Brennan delivered a two-run single to left for the lead and reached second on a throw to the plate. Brennan then stole third and scored on a Kirk sacrifice fly.
The Rams added an insurance run in the ninth, as Bucciero doubled to right center, stole third, and scored on a sacrifice fly by
Madden Ocko. Fordham finished with eight stolen bases in the 7-3 win.
Beau Elson (2-1) was brilliant in relief of starter
Mike Rabayda, throwing four scoreless innings of two-hit ball with three strikeouts. Rabayda pitched the first five innings, allowing three runs on four hits with three strikeouts. At the plate, Bucciero went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and a career-high three stolen bases, while Dieguez was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
In game two, Conlon Walker's single with the bases loaded in the ninth proved to be the difference in a 3-2 win by George Washington.
The Revolutionaries opened the scoring in the first on Gates' second leadoff home run of the day, which would last until the sixth, when George Washington netted a run on an error for a 2-0 lead.
Fordham tied the game at two in the seventh, as Bucciero and Ocko were both hit by a pitch and were sacrificed to second and third. Pinch-hitter
Anthony Grabau followed with a two-run single through the right side, scoring both runners for a 2-2 ball game.
The score remained tied until the ninth, as George Washington loaded the bases on two walks and a bunt single and received a walk-off single by Walker for the 3-2 victory.
Koen Smith (0-1) took the hard luck loss, allowing one earned run over three innings in relief of
Chase Hanawalt, who went the first five innings, giving up one run on two hits with four strikeouts. The Rams managed just four hits in the game, two of which came from Dieguez.
Fordham will next be in action on Tuesday, March 18
th, when the Rams host Maine for a 1:00 PM game at Houlihan Park.
