Meet the Rams… A team on the rise, but still with a long ways to go
Who’s the Pack playing?
Opponent: Fordham
Mascot: Truck Enthusiasts | School Location: Bronx, NY | Conference: A10
2025 Record: 0-0 (0-0, T-1st) | 2024 RPI Rank: n/a
2024 Record: 19-33 (10-14, T-9th) | 2024 RPI Rank: 198
2023 Record: 19-36 (7-17, 10th) | 2023 RPI Rank: 258
When? Where? How do I watch?
Location: Doak Field at Dail Park (Raleigh, NC)
[UPDATED SCHEDULE DUE TO FORECASTED RAIN SUNDAY]
Game Time(s): Fri, Feb 14 @ 11:00am (Game 1), 3:00pm (Game 2) | Sat, Feb 15 @ 2:00pm
TV: Friday Game 1 (ACCNX), Friday Game 2 (ACCNX), Saturday (ACCNX)
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast (Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3)
Tell me about this team
Let’s not reinvent the wheel here. This is still fresh…
It’s been since 2021 that Fordham has put together a winning season, but this could be the year that they get back to even. Three key bats return and should be bolstered by a pair of very good defensive and on-base infielders from the DIII level. There are a few promising freshmen, too, led by Taylor Kirk. The lineup won’t hit for much power, but they should get on base at a solid enough clip to make opposing pitchers work.
Declan Lavelle and Aric Berg should form a solid 1-2 at in the weekend rotation while transfer Mike Rabayda is an interesting add to the mix if his production can play up to the DI level. There are several promising freshmen arms, too, and if they can provide some solid innings for this group then the team will take another step forward.
It should still be a relatively tough year, but not as tough as it’s been the last three. Any NCAA Regional hopes hinge on the team’s ability to come together during the season and make a run in the A10 conference tournament.
Oh, wait… that totally wasn’t that fresh since Fordham waited until late last week to finally update their 2025 roster…
Declan Lavelle graduated, so there goes that. Most everything else is accurate.
Pitching Matchups
Friday (Game 1): LHP Dominic Fritton (JR) — RHP Aric Berg (JR)
Friday (Game 2): RHP Heath Andrews (SO) — RHP Aidan Dowd (SO)
Saturday: LHP Ryan Marohn (SO) — RHP Mike Rabayda (SR)
Key Players:
Offense
JR 3B Daniel Bucciero – (2024) .310/.393/.527, 15 2B, 9 HR, 9.0 BB%, 15.4 K%, 17-21 SB. Best hitter on the team. A10 All-Rookie Team in 2023 and 2nd Team All-A10 in 2024. Played in the Cape Cod League last summer.
JR C Tommy McAndrews – (2024) .224/.325/.339, 11 2B, 3 HR, 6.9 BB%, 25.5 K%, 1-4 SB. Big 6’2, 230 pound frame that should be able to produce more pop. Team leader, was captain last year as a sophomore. Earned A10 All-Rookie honors in 2023.
SR OF/LHP Cian Sahler – (2024) .323/.394/.390, 6 2B, 1 HR, 10.9 BB%, 10.4 K%, 6-11 SB. Lefty hitter has great contact skills, although he has just 3 career HR. A bit of an aggressive approach and a singles hitter.
SR INF Jack Brennan (2024 @ DIII Bates) .324/.468/.426, 9 2B, 0 HR, 16.3 BB%, 15.6 K%, 15-19 SB.
SR INF/OF Reid Lapekas (2024 @ DIII Vassar) .394/.455/.512, 11 2B, 0 HR, 4.6 BB%, 8.6 K%, 6-6 SB.
Pitching
JR RHP Aric Berg – (2024) 5-6, 5 SV, 6.00 ERA, 48.0 IP, 11.6 BB%, 23.2 K%. Will make the transition from closer/stopper to Friday starter. This will be the California native’s 2nd career start. HIs career long in innings pitched came in last season’s finale where he tossed 5.0 innings of scoreless ball in relief, allowing 3 hits and 3 walks with 7 strikeouts against St. Bonaventure.
SO RHP Aidan Dowd – (2024) 1-3, 3.77 ERA, 45.1 IP, 11.0 BB%, 23.3 K%. Earned A10 All-Rookie honors last year as a freshman. Despite starting 14 of 15 appearances last year, only reached 5.0 innings in 3 starts, and never exceeded that total. Getting some length out of him will be key to this team’s success.
SR RHP Mike Rabayda – (2024 @ DIII Haverford) 7-2, 3.41 ERA, 66.0 IP, 6.1 BB%, 26.9 K%. Started 23 games over the last two seasons at Haverford College, tossing 129.1 innings of 3.69 ERA ball with 172 strikeouts. Was Haverford’s team captain and the 2024 Centennial Conference Pitcher of the Year.
SR RHP Robbie Stewart – (2024) 2-1, 6.34 ERA, 32.2 IP, 13.7 BB%, 21.6 K%. Two-pitch reliever with a low-90s sinking fastball and a splitfinger changeup. Can be effective when he’s in the zone (43 BB in 55.2 career IP).
Quick! Fun Facts!
This will be just the 2nd ever meeting between Fordham and NC State on the baseball diamond. The Wolfpack won the first meeting, 12-4, which came in the 1993 NCAA Midwest Regional.
Fordham’s sticking around to check out the Triangle for a bit. They’ll hang out next weekend at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, playing four games total against Harvard, Indiana, and Northwestern.
The Rams do have one native North Carolinian on the roster: SR OF Andrew Kanellis from Leland, NC. Kanellis (2024: .254/.375/.362, 5 2B, 4 HR, 13.0 BB%, 24.1 K%, 8-9 SB) was a grad transfer last year from Vasser College. He’s still on the roster, but he’s already played four years of NCAA baseball, so I’m not sure if he’s actually still eligible.
Fordham has been to six NCAA Regionals in program history. They had a great run from 1987-1998 under Dan Gallagher, reaching five Regionals during that time (1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1998).
The Key To A Series Win For State
It’s hard to imagine we won’t see almost every arm from the Wolfpack this weekend, especially with Sunday’s game being moved up to create a Friday double-header. With that, State should be able to mix-and-match arms to consistently maintain an advantage when Fordham is at bat. Even so, Fordham hit just 29 home runs as a team last year, so challenging them by pounding the zone is key.
Prediction
This should be an improved Fordham team, potentially their best since at least 2021. Even with, it’s not a team with a bunch of power bats and the depth of the pitching staff isn’t there. NC State should be able to flex it’s strength and run out a bevy of pitchers to keep the Rams hitters off balance
Outcome: State sweeps