College Baseball
Rider University 4, La Salle University 3
LAWRENCEVILLE?The Broncs built an early lead, fell behind, and came back to defeat La Salle in the final non-conference game of the regular season. “It was sort of a slow-paced, non-enthusiastic game, but it was good to win,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “Any time you win it has to be a plus for you.”
Junior Eric Woodrow (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) hit a two-run single with one out in the eighth inning for the game winner. “We got a big hit from Woodrow,” Davis said. “Before he went up to the plate I told him to ?go knock ?em in' and he did.”
“It was a 2-0 (two balls, no strikes) fastball,” Woodrow said of the pitch that he hit to right field for the game-winner. “I just told myself to be aggressive. With second and third and one out you have to be aggressive, try to get something into the outfield to at least get one run out of it, maybe two.”
They got two. With an open base many times the batter won't get a fastball in that situation. “The first couple of pitches I wasn't sure if I'd get one or not,” Woodrow said. “The first pitch was a slider and not sure what the second pitch was, but when he fell behind I was thinking fastball all the way and got it.”
In the bottom of the eighth inning sophomore John Ralston (Annandale, Va./Paul VI) was hit by a pitch and junior Matt McCollum (Tabernacle, N.J./Shawnee) walked. They both moved up on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Karl Johnston (Hamilton, N.J./Peddie) and both scored on Woodrow's hit.
Rider (23-21) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when senior James Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./Piper) doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a balk. Hayes had two hits and now has 257 for his career, just six shy of the Rider record. “It is in the back of my mind (breaking the Rider hit record) but I'd rather us win than me get the record,” Hayes said.
The Broncs made it 2-0 in the third inning on a walk, a single by sophomore Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock), another walk and a ground out by sophomore A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area)
La Salle (18-28) tied the score at 2-2 with a pair of unearned runs in the seventh inning and took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth inning on a home run by TJ Chisom.
Junior Ryan Miller (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) started and pitched seven innings, allowing five hits and no earned runs. “Miller threw great,” Davis said. “He gave up a two-strike, two-out bloop hit that tied the score with two unearned runs. Any time a starting pitcher can go seven innings and give up two runs, two unearned runs, is always going to be good.”
Junior Kris Brown (Vineland, N.J./Vineland) pitched an inning of relief for the victory, and Hayes moved from right field to the mound for a one-two-three ninth, striking out two. “Jamie did another good job, coming in and closing it out,” Davis said.
The save was his seventh of the season and the 32nd of his career. Before Hayes was at Rider the career save record was 13. “I'll take the saves record because they involve wins,” Hayes said.
Sophomore Steve Galella (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) also singled for the Broncs, one of five Rider hits on the day. “Five hits isn't going to win too many games,” Davis said.
“This game, we just needed a win,” Woodrow said, “to get some momentum going into the weekend. We have to sweep, so we can use all the momentum we could get today and I think we got that.”
Rider will host Saint Peter's for a three-game MAAC series Thursday (3:30 single game) and Saturday (12 noon doubleheader) in an attempt to qualify for the MAAC Championship Tournament. “Hopefully we'll have a little more enthusiasm in our next three games,” Davis said.
“We've got to take care of our own business by sweeping this weekend,” said Hayes, "and hopefully get some help. Right now all we are worried about is beating Saint Peter's.”
Rider hosts the four-team MAAC Tournament May 21-23 at Waterfront Park.
-ru-
