College Baseball
Rider University 4, Marist College 2
Heyne Ties Career RBI Record
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY-The Broncs defeated Marist Sunday to sweep the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference series three games to none. "We knew coming in it was going to be a big challenge," said Rider head coach Barry Davis. "They are very good. To win three in a row against a team like Marist, that's a pretty good accomplishment."
Senior Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) hit an RBI double in the eighth inning to give Rider (19-10, 8-1 MAAC) a 3-2 lead. "That was big," Davis said. "That was the difference."
The RBI was the 168th of Heyne's career, tying the Rider career record. "That's a great accomplishment," Davis said. "It shows that he has been consistent for four years. You always need guys to drive runs in and he has certainly been one to do it. Hopefully he'll drive a few more in."
Senior John Ralston (Annandale, Va./Paul VI) collected his second hit of the game, an RBI single in the ninth inning, to give the Broncs a 4-2 lead. "John had a good day," Davis said.
Marist (21-9, 4-5 MAAC) cut the lead to 2-1 in the third inning with three hits and tied the score at 2-2 in the sixth with an unearned run on a sacrifice fly.
The Broncs began the game with three consecutive hits, including an RBI single by senior A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area) and a sacrifice fly by Heyne to take a 2-0 lead. "We had a couple of two-strike hits in the first," Davis said. "AJ and Heyne both came through with two strikes in the first."
Sophomore Tyler Smith (Westmont/Haddon Twp.) struck out three of the four batters he faced to collect the save, his third of the three-game series, his ninth of the season and the 18th of his career. "He fell behind 3-0 (three balls, no strikes) to the first batter he faced and battled back to strike him out," Davis said. "He's pretty dependable."
Senior Jeff Giordano (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) pitched one and one-third perfect innings of relief for the win, his first of the season. "Giordano came in and did an excellent job," Davis said. "He threw strikes. He came right at 'em and got them swinging."
Sophomore Joe Calogero (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill HS West) started and pitched six and two-thirds innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out four. "I thought Joe was really good,"' Davis said.
Sophomore Adam Wayman (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) and Ralston each had two of Rider's nine hits.
Rider has now beaten Marist six of the last seven meetings.
The Broncs took two out of three from Marist last season at Rider and then defeated the Red Foxes in the first round of the MAAC tournament in Fishkill, NY. The Broncs won one of three in 2009 at Marist. Rider won two of three against Marist in 2008 in Lawrenceville.
The Broncs and Red Foxes were Northeast Conference foes for five seasons before both institutions moved from the NEC to the MAAC in 1998.
Marist holds a 36-30 lead in the all-time series that began in 1992.
Before switching conferences Marist won the NEC Championship in 1997, ending Rider's three-year reign as NEC Champion.
Since both teams moved to the MAAC in 1998, Marist won conference titles in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005, with Rider finishing runner-up in 1999, 2001 and 2002.
The Broncs won the MAAC title in 2008 and 2010, and Rider hosts the 2011 MAAC Tournament at Waterfront Park.
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