College Baseball
Rider University 12, Siena College 4 (9 inn)
Rider University 10, Siena College 9 (8 inn.)
Olson Collects 200th hit, 150th RBI
LOUDONVILLE, NY?The Broncs swept a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader at Siena Saturday. “The second game didn't go the way we would have liked, but nobody is upset with the sweep,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “Offensively we were there today.”
In the first game, sophomore Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) hit a three-run home run in the third inning to give Rider a 5-0 lead. It was Heyne's team-high eighth home run of the season. Heyne added a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to give the Broncs a 6-2 lead and singled in the ninth.
“Heyne had a big hit that kind of broke the ice a little bit,” Davis said.
Rider senior Mike Petrowski (Hamilton Square, N.J./Steinert) pitched eight innings and struck out 11 for the victory, his second win of the season. “I thought Mike did an outstanding job,” Davis said. The 11 K's gave Petrowski 200 for his career.
Senior Sean Olson (Vineland, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) hit a grand slam home run in the ninth inning to give Rider a 12-2 lead. Olson hit an RBI single in the third inning to give Rider a 2-0 lead. Olson had three hits and five RBI in the first game.
Sophomore Steve Galella (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) hit a two-run single in the eighth inning to give Rider an 8-2 lead.
Siena cut the lead to 5-2 with a two-run homer in the fourth inning.
In the second game, Galella hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning of the scheduled seven-inning game to give Rider a 10-9 lead.
Siena scored five runs in the seventh inning on three hits and five walks to send the game into extra innings. “If we had won going away it would have been one thing,” Davis said, “but the way they came back reminds everyone that you have to play the whole game.
Olson hit a solo home run in the third inning to give Rider (16-15, 8-6 MAAC) a 3-0 lead. The hit was the 200th of his career. Only six Broncs have 200 career hits. The home run was his seventh of the year and the 26th of his career, sixth most ever at Rider, and his 150th career RBI, third most ever at Rider.
“That's outstanding,” Davis said of Olson's accomplishments. “When your number three hitter has a productive day like he had today, hitting home runs and driving in big runs. He's a big part of our offense.”
Rider senior Jimmer Kennedy (Levittown, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) pitched six and one-third innings, striking out four. “I thought Kennedy did a great job,” Davis said. “We should have closed it out when we could have. Normally we do, but sometimes you have to persevere and today we did.”
Senior James Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./Piper) pitched the final inning and two-thirds for the win, striking out four while allowing just one hit but walked six. “The momentum they had really got going once Jamie walked a few guys,” Davis said. “Hayes had to pitch out of a jam or we would have lost. Jamie got out of it and did a good job.”
Olson and Heyne hit back to back singles in the first inning and Olson scored on a double steal, giving Rider a 1-0 lead.
Sophomore A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area) hit a sacrifice fly to give the Broncs a 4-0 lead and Hayes and junior Eric Woodrow (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) hit RBI singles in the third inning to give Rider a 6-0 lead. Albee's RBI single in the fourth inning gave Rider an 8-1 lead.
Siena (8-27, 5-9 MAAC) got on the board with a run in the third inning and cut the lead to 9-4 in the sixth inning.
The third game of the series will be played Sunday at Siena. Rider defeated Siena in the 2008 MAAC Title Game.
“We've got some challenges tomorrow,” Davis said. “We need to play well tomorrow to do what we came here to do.”
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