College Baseball
Iona College 5, Rider University 2
Rider University 9, Iona College 7
LAWRENCEVILLE?On a day when the weather was ugly, the aesthetic beauty of the baseball being played on Rider University's Sonny Pittaro Field was not much better. “We're lucky we won two out of three this weekend,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “We won today because we scored nine and were able to hang on.”
The Broncs split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader with Iona Saturday, coming back to win the nightcap and win the series two games to one. “We won the series, that's the positive,” Davis said.
It was the second time in as many series' that Rider has won. “The rate we're going, we've got to play better or that isn't going to last,” Davis said. “Errors (Rider committed seven errors in the doubleheader), giving up a 7-1 lead, making bonehead mistakes in clutch situations.”
In the second game of the doubleheader Saturday senior James Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./Piper) doubled and scored on a single by senior Sean Olson (Vineland, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) and Olson scored on a single by sophomore Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) to give Rider (8-10, 4-2 MAAC) a 9-4 lead in the eighth inning.
Iona (1-18, 1-5 MAAC) came back to score six runs in the final three innings on five hits and four Rider errors to make it a two-run game with the tying run at the plate. “I like to make it interesting, as usual,” said Hayes.
Hayes had a day for the record books. He pitched one and two-thirds innings to record the save, his second of the year and 28th of his career, breaking his own Rider record. In the first game Hayes had one of Rider's two hits and stole a base, his 11th of the season and the 81st of his career, breaking the Rider record of 80 set in 2003 by Carl Loadenthal. “Hopefully he can steal a few more,” Davis said. “It's a great accomplishment. Loadenthal is in the minor leagues so Hayes broke the record of a pretty good player.”
“I know Carl Loadenthal was a great player,” Hayes said, “and he's still playing in the Mets' organization. It's a great honor to be associated with him with this record.”
Sophomore Patrick Devlin (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock North) started the second game and pitched six and two-thirds innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out five without a walk. “Devlin threw fine, he threw great,” Davis said. “He had a 7-3 lead and I didn't want to leave him in too long.”
“I felt pretty good today,” said Devlin. “The curve ball was on and I found command of my change up. It feels good not to walk anyone. My goal was to get ahead and stay ahead, and try to put them away.”
Rider sophomore John Ralston (Annandale, Va./Paul VI) doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 1-1. Ralston had three hits and three RBI in the second game.
“After the disappointing first game I just tried to stay closed (in stance) and work on going the other way,” said Ralston, who is leading the team with a .429 batting average. “My senior year I was more of a defensive player in high school,” said Ralston, who started all 55 games at shortstop for Rider as a rookie last year and batted .257. “Everybody has to step up so I'm just trying to do the best for my team right now. I'm seeing the ball real well and I'm not thinking too much about it.”
Senior Maurice Williams (Tinton Falls, N.J./Monmouth Regional) got three hits in the second game and four hits on the day. “The second game I felt relaxed,” said Williams, who now has 171 career hits, 19th highest ever at Rider. “I've been hitting the ball hard and making outs, which is frustrating, and today I got a couple of seeing eye singles. I'll take them over lined drive outs any day.”
Sophomore A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area) homered to lead of the fifth inning, had three hits in the second game and scored three runs in the doubleheader. “We got some big hits in the fifth and sixth innings (Rider scored two runs in each) to give us a separation but we couldn't close the door,” Davis said.
Senior Jimmer Kennedy (Levittown, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) pitched the first game and allowed just three earned runs while striking out four.
“I thought we had a chance to sweep last weekend (at Niagara) and we definitely should have sweep this weekend, but winning the series is important,” Williams said. “If we win the series every weekend we'll be in the MAAC tournament, and that's where we want to be.”
“Our goal every weekend is to win the series,” Hayes said. “We won both series', one on the road, and Iona played us tough here. We're 4-2, where we want to be.”
Rider travels to Seton Hall Tuesday. Let's hope for a beautiful day.
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