College Baseball
Rider University 12, Niagara University 2
LAWRENCEVILLE-The Broncs began defense of their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Title by banging out 24 hits in a victory over Niagara Friday. "We got good at bats and pitches to hit early," said Rider head coach Barry Davis. "We were able to get good swings. We've done that at times this year but today they found spots."
Senior Mike Thomas (Forest Hill, Md./Fallston) pitched eight innings, allowing just four hits while striking out 11. It was the second time this season and the third time in his career that Thomas compiled 11 K's in a game.
"We got him a pretty good lead early," Davis said of his ace, "and that allowed him to go right at them. He's been pretty consistent."
"It really helped when the offense got some runs early," said Thomas, who improved to 2-1 on the season and 22-10 for his career. The 22 career wins is third most ever at Rider and just four shy of the Bronc record.
"It felt good to have the offense come out like that," said Thomas. "24 hits is a ridiculous amount. With that support I was able to just go out and focus on throwing strikes. I didn't have to worry about being too perfect. You can just go out and pound the (strike) zone. It really helps. I always go out trying to throw strikes but when you have a big lead you don't want to be too cute. You just want to throw the ball over the plate and make them hit it. The defense played really well behind me."
Thomas relied on a steady diet of fastballs and change-ups. "My fastball felt pretty good today," Thomas said. "I was throwing it down hill better today than I have been all year. My change-up I was using to try to keep them off balance."
Rider (11-8, 1-0 MAAC) broke open a 1-0 game with seven runs in the third inning on seven hits, the biggest hits being an RBI double by freshman Ken Kremer (Hershey, PA/Hershey) and a two-run single by freshman Nick Crescenzo (Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton).
The MAAC Rookie of the Week last week, Crescenzo had five of Rider's hits and scored three runs. "I can't remember ever getting five hits in a game before," Crescenzo said. "Hitting is contagious. Everybody else seemed to be hitting the ball today so I just joined in like everybody else."
Crescenzo has played left, center and right field this season. "I have no preference, as long as I'm out there somewhere," Crescenzo said.
"He's tough to get out," Davis said of his rookie who is now hitting .436 on the collegiate level with 17 hits in 13 games, "because he doesn't strike out much and he runs pretty good. He's hot and he's given us some production."
The last time Rider had 24 hits in a game was at East Tennessee State in 2007. Every Rider starter had at least two hits except for senior Steve Galella (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial), who had two RBI along with a single, a sacrifice fly and a walk.
Senior A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area) added four hits and senior Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) had three hits. Those two have now combined for 390 career hits.
Junior Brandon Cotten (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley) also had three hits.
Niagara (3-18, 0-1 MAAC) scored twice in the ninth inning and had just five hits, two coming in the ninth.
Rider is now 11-3 in MAAC openers, including 5-2 under Coach Davis. "It was a good start," Davis said. "You obviously want to win and we won the game. It was a good win but tomorrow is a different day."
"It had a little extra meaning today, being a conference game," Crescenzo said. "Obviously we wanted to start well in conference play."
Rider won the MAAC opener last year against Niagara before dropping the next two conference games against the Purple Eagles. "I'm sure we'll get a good game out of them tomorrow. They'll come back ready to go. They always give us a tough time, every year."
Rider won the first two MAAC games of 2009, at Niagara.
Rider and Niagara will play a doubleheader Saturday on Rider's Sonny Pittaro Field beginning at 12 noon.
Since the three game series was originally scheduled to be played at Niagara (moved to Lawrenceville due to snow in Western New York) the Purple Eagles are batting last in all three games.
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