While students headed south for spring break, flying to Florida, Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic, Fordham Baseball stayed dialed in at Houilihan Park. The Rams blasted past the Cornell University Big Red in a series packed with clutch hitting, strong pitching and a Sunday slugfest to seal a series win.

After splitting Saturday’s doubleheader, the Rams erupted offensively in dramatic fashion, defeating Cornell 16-11 to clinch the series.

The series opened with a statement win for the Rams. Fordham jumped ahead early when senior catcher Tommy McAndrews delivered a two-run single in the first. McAndrews later broke the game open in the fifth with a three-run home run, finishing 2-for-4 with five RBIs, securing the 7-2 victory and getting an early win to set the tone. On the mound, sophomore pitcher Beau Elson kept Cornell’s offense quiet, throwing seven shutout innings while allowing four hits. Meanwhile, the Rams added insurance runs and the bullpen sealed the door, despite a late threat of bases loaded in the eighth.

Before the series began, graduate outfielder Ernie Little said the team “built some series momentum…and we will ride it this weekend,” and “almost never look at an opponent’s record, especially this early.”

Even with a smooth game one, game two was a much tighter contest. Cornell’s pitching held Fordham to just one hit as the Big Red edged the Rams 3-1. Cornell struck first, scoring the only run of the opening five on a sacrifice fly. But Fordham answered in the sixth after taking advantage of a Cornell misstep, eventually tying the game when sophomore utility player Taylor Kirk drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-1. However, that tie did not last long.

Cornell responded in the seventh with a solo home run, putting them back in the lead. The Big Red added an insurance run in the ninth inning, securing a 3-1 victory. Despite the loss, sophomore pitcher Chase Hanawalt delivered one of the most impressive outings of the series, throwing eight innings and striking out a career-high 10 batters. He reflected on his performance, especially when having to overcome bad throws: “Athletes need a short memory. Always focusing on the pitch at hand, the one I’m about to make.” 

He also reminisced on the energy in the dugout playing a major role in helping the team stay locked, noting that they “just let anything fly to keep spirits high and ensuring our teammates know we have their backs.” He especially remarked on one of his teammates, sophomore catcher Carson Swaim, who’s “an exemplary human and teammate” and “is always the first to pick someone up after a rough go or congratulate you on your success.” It’s that friendship and camaraderie that make even losing games seem like wins.

At the plate, the Rams emphasized sticking to their approach throughout the series. “Trusting our process was important. After a frustrating game two, we recognized we had a lot of loud outs out of our control,” Kirk said.

After Saturday, Sunday’s series finale turned into an offensive explosion. Cornell opened the scoring in the third, but the Rams responded immediately, exploding with nine runs in the bottom of the frame, and turning a one-run deficit into a dominating 9-1 lead. McAndrews powered the rally, starting with an RBI single before capping it with a two-run home run, his third of the season, giving Fordham control of the game. Despite the offensive outbreak, the game was far from over, with Cornell mounting a dramatic comeback attempt in the sixth, scoring nine runs to cut the deficit to 15-11. Fordham managed to settle things down late with an insurance run on a wild pitch to secure a 16-11 win. 

For the pitching staff, staying mentally focused during long games is key. Graduate student pitcher Robbie Stewart said managing the rhythm of a game requires knowing when to “allow yourself a break … and then get back to it.”

Following the victory, sophomore catcher Caden Young reflected on the resilience the team showed. 

“Our team does not quit. An NBA great, Robert Horry, has a quote: ‘Pressure can burst a pipe, or pressure can make a diamond.’ We have been making the necessary adjustments to rise to the occasion and come out on top with the win,” he said.

For Young, playing for Fordham means being part of something bigger. “We know that it is a joy and a privilege to show up to the ball field every single day, representing the Maroon and White and the F on our chests, and play for something that is greater than ourselves,” he said.

With an early series win secured and momentum building, the Rams now look ahead to the rest of the season with confidence as they continue their pursuit of an Atlantic 10 championship.