College Baseball
Rider University 2, Saint Peter's College 1
Rider University 10, Saint Peter's College 5
LAWRENCEVILLE-The Broncs swept Saint Peter's in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday. "It was a hard-fought doubleheader," said Rider head coach Barry Davis. "I thought Saint Peter's came to play. I was impressed by them."
In the first game senior Mike Thomas (Forest Hill, Md./Fallston) pitched eight innings for the victory, striking out four while allowing just two walks. "Mike has been consistent for us," Davis said. "He gives us a good chance to win every time out."
Thomas is now 7-2 for the season and the victory was career win number 27, a new Rider record. "It was pretty exciting," Thomas said. "It is a matter of my teammates playing well behind me. I'm glad it is behind me. Now I can just focus on playing well and getting into the (MAAC) tournament."
The old mark was set in 1957 by Rider Hall of Famer Leo Chester, who owns a 26-7 career record. "1957 was a long time ago," Davis said. "I wasn't around then. That was a record that was hard to break. You have to pitch well for four years."
The 27 career win total is also tenth most in the nation among active Division I pitchers. "Hopefully he'll be able to win some more for us," Davis said.
His total of four strikeouts against the Peacocks gives Thomas 264 for his career, breaking the Rider record of 262, set in 2001 by Rider Hall of Famer and former major leaguer Kevin Barry. "I was relieved when I got that strikeout, because it was an important part of the game I really needed a strikeout there," Thomas remembers.
The total of 264 career strikeouts is 14th most in the nation among active Division I players.
"I never even realized it until a couple of weekends ago when I started getting close to these records," Thomas said. "The record for wins means more to me then the record for strikeouts," Thomas said. "That is more of a team record."
Sophomore Adam Wayman (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) hit his second home run of the season with two outs in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie.
The Broncs took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when junior Brandon Cotten (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley) walked, went to third on a single by senior A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area) and scored on a throwing error.
Senior Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) doubled for the Broncs. The double by Heyne was his 64th, breaking the Rider career record set in 2004 by Scott Rich. Heyne is already the Rider career RBI leader (176).
Sophomore Tyler Smith (Westmont/Haddon Twp.) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 13th save of the season.
In the second game, Rider (27-15, 14-6 MAAC) trailed 4-3 before scoring seven runs in the fifth inning on six hits, the biggest hits a two-run double by freshman Ken Kremer (Hershey, PA/Hershey), a three-run home run by senior Steve Galella (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) and a solo home run by Cotten, all with two outs. "We were able to put some things together and Steve opened it up," Davis said. "Two out hits are big, especially in close games."
Kremer's double gave Rider a 5-4 lead. "That was a big, two-out hit," Davis said. "Huge!"
"I knew with two outs we needed a big hit there so I looked for a pitch inside, I got one and I put a decent swing on it," said Kremer, the son of two-time Rider All-American Ken Kremer.
Cotten had three of Rider's 12 hits in the second game, including a pair of doubles.
Saint Peter's (15-28, 4-12 MAAC) scored three runs in the fourth inning on a three-run double with two outs to take a 3-2 lead and took a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning with an unearned run.
Senior Nate Eppley (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern) pitched six innings of the seven inning contest, allowing just three earned runs for the win, his fifth of the season. "Nate was good, again," Davis said. "He went right at them and gave us a chance to win."
Senior Jeff Giordano (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) pitched a scoreless final inning. Giordano has allowed just one run in his last 18 and one-third innings over nine games.
Rider has not been 27-15 since 1995 when the Broncs were 30-15 and finished 35-18.
With the sweep Rider wins a MAAC series for the fifth time in seven, with one series remaining next week at first-place Manhattan.
"Those were two big wins and we'd like to finish the job tomorrow," Davis said. "Hopefully we'll win tomorrow and that should be enough to get us in the tournament," Thomas said. "Winning this series hopefully will give us some momentum going to Manhattan. Everyone knows how good they are."
The third game of the SPC series will be Sunday following the 12 noon Senior Day ceremony. Rider swept Saint Peter's in 2010 and 2009 and split a two-game series with the Peacocks in 2008. Rider owns a 52-4 advantage in the series that began in 1941.
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