College Baseball
Rider University 6, Iona College 1
Rider University 5, Iona College 4 (8 innings)
Broncs Make MAAC Playoffs
NEW ROCHELLE, NY-The Broncs swept Iona in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader Friday to secure a playoff berth. "Hallelujah," said Rider head coach Barry Davis. "We are excited to be in."
Rider has now qualified for the MAAC tournament for the third year in a row, the fourth time in the last five years and the eighth time in 13 years as a MAAC member.
"We didn't play great today but made enough plays to win," said Davis, who led Rider to its first MAAC Championship in 2008. "We're excited to get back to the tournament and have an opportunity to win another championship. That's what the goal is every year."
The third game of the series, Rider's final regular season game, is Saturday at 12 noon. If Rider (32-21, 14-9 MAAC) wins Saturday the Broncs will be the third seed and will play host Marist (33-20, 16-8) in the first round of the tournament Wednesday, May 26, at 7pm. If Rider loses Saturday the Broncs will be the fourth seed and will play at 3pm in the first round against the top seed, Canisius (37-19, 19-5). Manhattan (30-17, 15-9) is the other team in the playoffs.
"We had bases loaded three times and hit into three double plays," Davis said. "It didn't come easy. We could never get separated from them. Iona did a great job."
In the second game Friday sophomore Brandon Cotten (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley) hit an RBI single with one out in the eighth inning of the seven inning scheduled game to give the Broncs a 5-4 lead, scoring freshman Adam Wayman (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial), who led off the inning with a double.
Cotten had six hits and scored three runs in the double header. Wayman had four hits and four RBI in the twin bill. "They both had big hits all day, especially at the end," Davis said.
Iona (9-38, 3-20 MAAC) tied the score at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh (last) inning with a two-out, RBI single.
Freshman Tyler Smith (Westmont/Haddon Twp.) pitched the final two innings, allowing one run while striking out two for his sixth win of the season. "I knew we had to win to get in so we went with the guy who has done it all year."
The game was Smith's 29th appearance of the season. The old Rider record was 23. Smith shares the MAAC lead with seven saves.
The Broncs took a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning on an RBI double by senior Nick Wojnowski (Baldwin, Md./Calvert Hall) and an RBI single by Wayman made it 4-2.
Iona cut the lead to 4-3 with a double and a single in the sixth inning before the Broncs turned a double play to end the inning.
Rider tied the score a 2-2 in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by junior Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock), scoring Cotten, who reached base on a single, advanced to second on a single by junior Karl Johnston (Hamilton, N.J./Peddie) and went to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area). "Cotten scored on a fly ball to short centerfield," Davis said. "He had a big day."
Iona took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on a double and a single.
Rider tied the score at 1-1 in the third inning when junior Steve Galella (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) singled, Cotten doubled and Galella scored on a double play.
Freshman Mike Murphy (Hamilton/Peddie) pitched six innings, striking out five. "He didn't make many mistakes," Davis said of his rookie starter. "He left the game with the lead."
In the first game, junior Mike Thomas (Forest Hill, Md./Fallston) pitched seven innings, striking out six while allowing just one run on six hits and one walk, and was taken out after getting hit in the non-pitching arm with a lined drive. "He's fine," Davis said, "but that is why we took him out. He got drilled in the forearm. He was in control of the ball game."
Thomas is now 5-0 against MAAC teams this year and has the best overall record (8-2) in the MAAC. With the win, Thomas is now 19-8 in his collegiate career, the seventh best record ever at Rider.
Smith pitched the final two innings of the first game, striking out three. "He came in with two runners on and nobody out," Davis said, "and was able to pitch out of it."
Albee hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, his team-high eighth of the season, to give Rider a 6-1 lead.
Heyne and Wayman hit RBI singles in the first inning to give Rider a 2-0 lead. Wayman's bases loaded, two-out walk in the fifth inning gave Rider a 3-0 lead.
Wayman had two hits and three RBI in the first game
Cotten had two of Rider's eight hits in the first game and scored two runs. "He got off to a good start," Davis said. "He seems to be relaxed at the plate. He is hitting the ball the other way, he's pulling it, he's hitting with power. He's seeing the ball pretty good."
Iona cut the lead to 3-1 in the sixth with a double, a hit-by-pitch and a ground ball out RBI.
Rider took a 4-1 lead on a pair of walks, an error on a sacrifice bunt and another RBI ground out by Wayman.
Albee now has 54 runs scored. The Broncs record is 56 set in 2002. Albee has 55 RBI. The Rider record is 58 set last season by team MVP Sean Olson.
The Broncs won two of three games against Iona last year in Lawrenceville after sweeping the Gaels in New Rochelle in 2008. Rider and Iona have met 42 times since the series began in 1960 with Rider winning 28.
Rider has won six in a row and 12 of its last 14 games.
As far as Saturday goes, Rider could pick its post-season poison.
If the Broncs win Saturday they play the tournament host, Marist. If they lose they play the regular season champs, Canisius. "I don't think you worry about who you are playing," Davis said. "When you do that a lot of the time it comes back to bite you. We want to win tomorrow because we are competitors. We want to go out and win as many games as we can. If that makes us play the host team, well, we probably will have to beat Marist in the tournament anyway. We're probably going to have to beat Canisus too if we want to win the tournament. All of the teams in the tournament are very good and it should be a great tournament. We want to play well tomorrow and we want to win."
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