College Baseball
Rider University 5, Fairfield University 4
Fairfield University 13, Rider University 8
LAWRENCEVILLE?The Broncs split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader with Fairfield Saturday at Sonny Pittaro Field. “Anytime when you have a doubleheader, if you win the first one, hopefully it gives you some momentum going into game two,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “Unfortunately, we took any momentum we had and left it in the field.”
In the first game, freshman Ryan Murphy (Yardville, N.J./Steinert) hit a pinch hit RBI single off the right field fence with bases loaded for the walk-off game-winning hit. “Murph had a big pinch hit,” Davis said.
“I like the pressure situations,” said Murphy, who sat out last season with mono, and collected a hit in his first collegiate at bat this year at Maryland Eastern Shore in February. “It was real tough sitting out last year. My first at bat this season felt amazing. A long time coming. I was waiting all year for it. Today I was able to sit on a curve ball after taking an outside fastball.”
Rider trailed in the first game 4-2 before tying the score with two runs in the eighth inning on two hits and two Fairfield errors. Sophomore A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area) hit an RBI single in the eighth to cut the lead to 4-3.
The Broncs tied the score at 2-2 in the third inning when junior Matt McCollum (Tabernacle, N.J./Shawnee) hit an RBI single and senior Sean Olson (Vineland, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) hit a sacrifice fly. McCollum had three hits in the first game. Olson ranks 45th in the country and third in the MAAC in RBI per game, and now has 45 RBI for the season, 12 shy of the Rider single season record. Olson has 155 career RBI, 11 shy of the Rider career record.
Sophomore Nate Eppley (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern) pitched the ninth inning for the win, his first of the season. Eppley is now 2-0 in his Rider career and owns the best earned run average on the team this year at 2.59.
Senior Mike Petrowski (Hamilton Square, N.J./Steinert) pitched eight innings and struck out six. “Mike took us deep into the game,” Davis said. Petrowski now has a team-high 45 strikeouts this season, seventh most in the MAAC and 206 career strikeouts.
“It was a good win because their pitcher is very good,” Davis said. Fairfield pitcher Rob Gariano struck out nine Broncs in seven and two-thirds innings and leads the MAAC with 68 strikeouts. “He's one of the best in the league. we felt fortunate to get that one.”
In the second game, Rider (19-16, 10-7 MAAC) trailed 12-3 before scoring five runs in the fourth inning on four hits, the biggest a two-run single by sophomore Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) and a two-run double by sophomore John Ralston (Annandale, Va./Paul VI). Heyne had three hits in the doubleheader, as did freshman Brandon Cotten (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley). “Mason had a big hit for us,” Davis said.
Rider left 20 runners on base in the doubleheader. “We left a lot of runners on base today,” Davis said, “but they out-hit us.”
Fairfield (16-19, 6-8 MAAC) came back and scored two runs in the fifth inning and one in the seventh for the final score.
Rider senior James Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./Piper) scored his 165th career run in the first game, tying the Rider record set in 2003 by Carl Loadenthal, who is currently playing with the Binghamton Mets (AA).
Rider is now 8-4 at home with eight home games remaining, including a 12 noon contest tomorrow with Fairfield in the third game of the MAAC series. “We were fortunate to win the game we did,” Davis said. ”Tomorrow is a really big game. The winner tomorrow wins the series, and that's what we need to do. Hopefully we'll come out and play a little better.”
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