College Baseball
Rider University 7, Marist College 6 (10 innings)
Rider University 22, Marist College 4
LAWRENCEVILLE-The Broncs swept Marist in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday at windy Sonny Pittaro Field. "Huge wins," said Rider head coach Barry Davis, "especially with the fact that we were able to come back in the first game (from a 6-3 deficit in the ninth inning). It was a big day."
Sophomore Brandon Cotten (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley), collected seven hits, including his first collegiate home run, seven RBI and four runs scored in the twin bill for Rider (26-19, 12-8 MAAC).
"First bomb felt pretty good," said Cotten, who was named the MAAC Player of the Week last week. "It was nice to get that award, although I had all singles last week and didn't really expect it. I think being recognized like that made me work even harder."
Cotten now has 17 hits in his last eight games. "I'm seeing the ball pretty good these days," Cotten said.
"Cotten is in a pretty good groove right now," Davis said of his leadoff batting centerfielder who made another 'web-gem' diving catch in the outfield with runners in scoring position.
In the first game, junior John Ralston (Annandale, Va./Paul VI) hit an RBI single with one out in the tenth inning for the game-winner, Ralston second game-winning walk-off hit in as many games.
"A couple of the guys have come up big this year," Ralston said, "so I was just trying to do my part. Once I got two strikes on me I was looking for that slider and got enough of it."
"He hit it just hard enough to get it through," Davis said.
Ralston had two hits in the first game and three on the day. "These two wins were huge, especially the first one when we were losing and it gave us momentum going into the second game," Ralston said.
Marist (27-19, 10-7 MAAC) tied the score at 3-3 in the fourth inning and led 6-3 before the Broncs scored three in the ninth inning to send the game into extra innings.
Junior Steve Galella (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) had four hits in the first game. His RBI single in the ninth inning cut the lead to 6-5 and he scored to tie the game at 6-6.
Freshman closer Tyler Smith (Westmont/Haddon Twp.) pitched the final two and one-third innings for the win, his fifth.
In the second game, Rider took a 2-1 lead in the first inning on four hits, made it 3-1 in the second inning and took a 5-1 lead in the third. "We came out in the second game like we were ready to go," Davis said. "We kept the momentum going and that was important."
The score was 9-3 before Rider erupted for nine runs in the fifth inning on seven hits and an error, the biggest hits a three-run home run by senior Nick Wojnowski (Baldwin, Md./Calvert Hall) and a two-run double by freshman Adam Wayman (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial).
Wojnowski had four of Rider's 23 hits in the second game, the most hits in a game by Rider since the 2007 season. The home run was his team-high seventh.
"I've been on the other side of games like this but I don't think I've been in a conference game where we got 23 hits," Ralston said.
"I think everyone hit the ball today," Davis said. "We had pretty good at bats. You can go up and down the list."
Junior Karl Johnston (Hamilton, N.J./Peddie) had three hits and four RBI in game two and has 14 hits in his last eight games.
Freshman Mike Murphy (Hamilton/Peddie) pitched six innings for the win, striking out five. "Murphy did fine," Davis said. "Pitching in these (windy) conditions is tough. He did a good job."
Junior A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area) had three hits and scored three runs in the second game.
Junior Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) had four hits and three RBI in the doubleheader while scoring three runs. Heyne now has 133 career RBI, fifth most ever at Rider, along with 177 career hits, 18th most ever at Rider and 101 runs scored, 29th most at Rider.
Rider has won six games in a row, seven of its last eight and 11 of its last 15 games. Rider has won its last five MAAC games and 10 of its last 14 conference games. "We set a goal to finish strong so we can control our own destiny and right now we're doing that," Ralston said. "Tomorrow Marist is going to come out aggressive so we have to counter that."
"You certainly want to be playing your best ball at the end of the year," Davis said. "We're playing with some confidence right now."
The third game of the series is Sunday at 12 noon. "Marist is a good team," Davis said, "and they will be ready to go tomorrow, I guarantee it. We're going to have a tough time Sunday."
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