College Baseball
Rider University 4, Charleston So. University 3
CHARLESTON, SC--Rider began a three-game series at Charleston Southern with a victory Friday afternoon. "We still did not play a complete ball game but we played well enough to get the win," said Rider head coach Barry Davis.
The Broncs (4-6) scored four runs in the sixth inning on five hits and a Buccaneer error. "That was huge," Davis said. "This is a good win for us after a long drive down."
Sophomore Mike Murphy (Hamilton/Peddie) pitched eight innings, allowing just one unearned run while striking out six for his fifth career win. "Murph threw great," Davis said. "He was in pretty good control of the ball game."
The victory was the first for Murphy since May 27, 2010 when he defeated Canisius in the MAAC tournament. Murphy red-shirted the 2011 season.
Murphy pitched out of a bases loaded, one out jam in the first inning, striking out two. "We didn't play real good defense behind him, got him into a jam but he pitched out of it," Davis said.
Rider freshman Mike Parsons (Liverpool, NY) reached base four times on three hits, including a pair of doubles. "Parsons was on quite a bit," Davis said. "He had a big double."
In the top of the sixth inning junior Adam Wayman (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) and graduate student Ryan Murphy (Yardville, N.J./Steinert) each singled and Fazio moved them up with a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away, allowing Wayman to score. Murphy and freshman Greg Fazio (Far Hills/Ridge) then scored on a double by Parsons, his third hit of the game and second double. Parsons moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch to give Rider a 4-1 lead.
Charleston Southern (4-10) scored an unearned run in the fifth inning with two outs to take a 1-0 lead. The Bucs scored two in the bottom of the ninth inning on two hits and another Rider error.
Senior Brandon Cotten (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley) returned to the leadoff spot after starting the season in the three-hole and collected two hits. "I think we're going to keep him there for a while," Davis said of Cotten, who is a career .330 hitter with 161 hits, 33rd most ever at Rider.
Rider junior Ian Lindsay (Oaklyn/Haddon Twp.), sophomore Nick Crescenzo (Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton), sophomore Ken Kremer (Hershey, PA/Hershey) and freshman Eric Strano (Robbinsville) also collected hits.
Rider and Charleston So. have not met since 1998, with the Bucs holding a 2-1 lead in the series.
Rider will play CSU Saturday and Sunday before traveling to North Carolina to take on Campbell Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. "They battled back at the end and got some momentum going for tomorrow so it should be a good one tomorrow," Davis said.
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