By MAX PRINZ

The Fordham baseball team lost a rivalry game and a conference series last week, bringing its record to 12-16. The Rams fell at cross-town rival Manhattan on Wednesday, and then lost two of three against their fellow Atlantic 10 Rams, Rhode Island.
The series loss to Rhode Island is the more painful of the Rams’ two downfalls this past week. Fordham’s conference record is just 4-5 and head coach Kevin Leighton expressed disappointment following Sunday’s loss in the rubber game.
“I can’t say that we are happy with where we are, I think we could easily be 5-4 or 6-3,” Leighton said in an email. “On the same side I know we are in the hunt, we have to stay in the mix and as the season goes on everyone else is going to start beating each other.”
The team began its week of games in Riverdale, N.Y., taking on the Manhattan Jaspers. It was the Rams who drew first blood. Sophomore catcher Charles Galiano hit his third home run of the season to left field to give the Rams a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Despite scoring first, that HR would the Rams’ only bit of good news on the day.
Fordham starter, freshman Shane McDonald, surrendered four runs in the bottom half of the third inning, and Manhattan never looked back. McDonald was let down by the Rams’ defense behind him, which made two errors in that third frame, allowing a pair of runs to score. Already ahead 4-1, the Jaspers added two insurance runs over the next six innings for the win. A sacrifice fly from freshman Mark Donadio brought the Rams an inch closer, but Manhattan’s offense had done enough. The Rams fell to their rivals, 6-2.
Following the loss to the Jaspers, the Rams traveled to Rhode Island for a three-game A-10 conference series. The series began with the Rams’ second straight loss. The Rhode Island Rams won the first game 8-6 in an offensive slugfest. Senior Rob McCunney finished with a pair of RBI on the day, but the pitching efforts of freshman Cody Johnson and senior J.C. Porter were not enough to slow down the Rhode Island offense.
Fordham came storming back in game two of the series. Freshman Brett Kennedy was dominant, pitching a complete game shutout to earn his second win of the season. Fordham also capitalized on three errors by the Rhode Island defense. Galiano registered three hits and scored two runs to lead the Fordham offense to a 3-0 victory. Coach Leighton called the win, and Kennedy’s start, exactly what the team needed.
“Brett has thrown well for us all year and has typically given us a chance to win, we just haven’t been able to score many runs when he’s on the mound” Leighton said. “He had good command and was able to work all of his pitches and the guys played very good defense behind him.”
Fordham’s win in game two made game three an important rubber match. Unfortunately for Fordham, it was Rhode Island’s turn to trot out a dominant starter. Lou Distatsio threw a one-hitter and the Rhode Island offense scored two runs to win the deciding game 2-0.
“Rhode Island is always tough, they always pitch and play defense, which means that they’ll always be in the game,” Leighton said. “Sunday we just didn’t get the runs in when we had the opportunity, which we really only had two chances. URI’s starter was very good and we just didn’t have an answer, that happens, we just have to bounce back and continue to compete.”
The loss drops the Rams to 12-16 on the year, with a 4-5 record in the A-10. The team will look to rebound this week, with a single game matchup against Army and weekend series at home against St. Joseph’s.
“We just have to try to get over the .500 mark and stay in the mix,” Leighton said. “This team is capable of doing that, we just have to keep fighting because every weekend is going to be a battle.”