College Baseball
Siena College 9, Rider University 4
LAWRENCEVILLE?The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Siena Sunday. “When you don't score many runs you don't usually win,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis.
With the victory, Siena sweeps the three game series at Rider. “Siena is hot right now and we are not,” Davis said.
Rider junior James Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./Piper) had four of Rider's 13 hits and now has 189 for his career, tying the Rider record for hits in three seasons. “That is certainly a great accomplishment,” Davis said, “and knowing Jamie, he probably doesn't even know that he tied that record. What he does know is what he needs to do to make us better, and he does that.”
Hayes is now tied for seventh in career hits at Rider. “Hopefully he'll continue to get hits, because we need them,” Davis said.
Rider (24-20, 12-9 MAAC) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a bases loaded hit batsman, but left the bases loaded, and left 11 runners on base for the game.
Siena (22-24, 10-8 MAAC) tied the score at 1-1 in the second inning on a home run by Rick Seltzer, and Seltzer hit another home run in the fourth inning to give the Saints a 3-1 lead.
Siena scored three runs on four hits in the fifth inning and added three runs on five hits in the eighth inning to put the game away.
Sophomore Nick Wojnowski (Baldwin, Md./Calvert Hall) and freshman Steve Galella (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) each contributed two hits for the Broncs.
Freshman Patrick Devlin (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock North) started and struck out five in six innings of work. “I thought Devlin threw fine,” Davis said, “but when you don't score there is no room for error. That's the biggest thing with this weekend, we didn't score.”
Rider scored two runs on four hits in the ninth inning for the final score. “We didn't quit,” Davis said. “I didn't think there was ever a time in the game that we weren't trying, we just weren't playing well. Things just weren't happening for us.”
With the three losses Rider drops to fourth place in the MAAC, just ahead of Siena. The Broncs have three MAAC games remaining, at Saint Peter's May 16-17.
Most of the MAAC teams have six conference games remaining, but Rider has Le Moyne next week in a three-game non-conference series. “We have a week to sit back and watch the conference, see how it unfolds and see what we need to do at Saint Peter's,” Davis said. “I still think we are in an okay position. Winning certainly would have helped.”
Rider travels to Saint Joseph's Tuesday and hosts Lafayette Wednesday.
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