College Baseball
Saint Peter's College 7, Rider University 2
Rider University 7, Saint Peter's College 4
JERSEY CITY? Senior David Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./American Heritage) had five RBI to lead Rider to victory over Saint Peter's in the final game of the regular season to salvage a split in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday.
“David saved us today,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “He came through big.”
In the second game, Rider (26-25, 13-10 MAAC) trailed 2-0 after five innings before junior Maurice Williams (Ocean, N.J./Monmouth Regional) hit an RBI single and D. Hayes hit a three-run home run to give the Broncs a 4-2 lead. “He hit it good,” Davis said. Williams had two RBI in game two.
SPC (20-30, 7-16 MAAC) tied the score at 4-4 before Rider scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning when Williams worked a bases loaded walk and a single by D. Hayes scored two for the final score.
Junior Jimmer Kennedy (Levittown, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) pitched six innings for the win, striking out five without allowing a walk. “Kennedy threw fine,” Davis said. “He kept us in it.”
Kennedy ranks 18th in the nation in least walks allowed (1.18 per nine innings). “When you don't give up walks you don't allow big innings,” Davis said.
The victory is career win number 16 for Kennedy. His 16-14 career record is the 17th best ever at Rider.
D. Hayes, senior Jon Leise (Woodbury, N.J./West Deptford) and junior Sean Olson (Vineland, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) each had two of Rider's nine hits in the second game. Leise now has 96 career hits. Olson had three hits on the day, including a double, his team-high 16th.
Junior James Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./Piper), the New Jersey Division I Player of the Year, pitched the final inning for the save, his ninth of the season and the 24th of his career.
In the first game, freshman Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) had two of Rider's eight hits, including a double, along with two RBI. Heyne missed the last five games with a sprained ankle before returning to the line-up Saturday.”It's good to be at full strength going into Thursday night,” Davis said.
Saint Peter's scored two runs in the first inning and two in the third to take a 4-1 lead.”Saint Peter's was very competitive today,” Davis said. “I think both teams were playing for pride today.”
The third game of the series, rained out on Friday, will not be played, since Saint Peter's is graduating Sunday and the game does not matter in the standings.
Rider will play the top seed, Canisius, at 6pm Thursday in the first round of the MAAC Championship Tournament, held at Waterfront Park. “We worked all year for this,” Davis said. “Canisius won 40 games. If you can't get up for this game you can't get up for any game.”
Manhattan, the second seed, will play Siena, the third seed, at 2pm Thursday in the first game of the tournament.
The 26 wins for Rider is the most for the Broncs since the 2002 season. “That's a good sign,” Davis said.
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