College Baseball
Rider University 10, Lafayette College 3
EASTON, PA—The Broncs banged out a season-high 19 hits to win at Lafayette Wednesday. “We were pretty consistent at the plate all day today,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “It was a good solid day.”
For Rider (21-19), sophomore Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) led the hit parade with a career-high four hits, including a double, and a pair of RBI. “Mason had a good day at the plate,” Davis said.
Senior Sean Olson (Vineland, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) added three hits and three RBI to climb the Rider career lists. Olson now has 213 hits in his career, fourth highest ever at Rider, and 160 career RBI, just four shy of the Bronc all-time record.
Rider junior Ryan Miller (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) started and pitched five innings, allowing just two runs while striking out three for the victory, improving to 3-0 in his first outing since April 15. “Miller threw well,” Davis said.
Sophomore Steve Galella (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) hit his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot, to give Rider a 10-2 lead in the sixth.
Galella, senior James Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./Piper), sophomore John Ralston (Annandale, Va./Paul VI), junior Matt McCollum (Tabernacle, N.J./Shawnee) and freshman Brandon Cotten (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley) each had two hits for the Broncs. “Up and down the batting order everybody put good swings on the ball,” Davis said.
Galella had three RBI. Hayes now has 252 career hits, 11 shy of the Rider record. Hayes is already the Rider career record holder for runs scored and stolen bases, as well as saves. Hayes pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a non-save situation.
Sophomore A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area) singled in the sixth inning, extending his hitting streak to 11 games.
The Broncs scored two runs in the first inning on four consecutive singles, including an RBI single by Olson, and scored three more in the second inning on RBI doubles by Olson and Heyne and an RBI single by Galella. “We had good at bats and we came out swinging,” Davis said.
Olson and Heyne hit RBI singles in the third inning to give Rider a 7-1 lead. Cotten's RBI double in the fourth inning gave Rider an 8-2 lead.
Lafayette (22-26) is the fourth seed in the upcoming Patriot League Playoffs.
Rider travels to Riverdale, NY this weekend to take on first place Manhattan in a three-game MAAC series. “We have a big weekend coming up,” Davis said. “We're playing for something at the end of the season, trying to reach the goals we set at the beginning.”
The Broncs are currently in fifth place, a game out of third place with six MAAC games left. “We're right in the middle of it and that's exactly where we want to be,” Davis said. “We have to go out and play as well as we can.”
The top four teams compete in the MAAC Tournament, hosted by Rider at Waterfront Park May 21-23. Rider is the defending MAAC Champion.
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