College Baseball
Rider University 13, Iona College 8
BRONX, NY-Junior Ian Lindsay (Oaklyn/Haddon Twp.) compiled three hits and two RBI and sophomore Jerry Mulderig (Langhorne, PA/Council Rock South) added two hits and three RBI to lead Rider to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Iona at Fordham University Saturday evening.
"It was a nice win today," said Rider head coach Barry Davis.
Rider (19-28, 12-10 MAAC) broke the game open with seven runs in the seventh inning on four hits, three walks and two Iona errors to take a 13-1 lead. "It was nice to get out to the big lead," Davis said. "We took advantage of some mistakes they made."
Iona (17-31, 7-12 MAAC) scored seven runs in the final three innings."We hung on and were able to close it out," Davis said.
Sophomore Mike Murphy (Hamilton/Peddie) allowed just one run through six innings but after the long top of the seventh inning allowed four more runs. Murphy pitched six and one-third, striking out four and left the game with a 13-3 lead.
"Our long at bat did not help Murphy," Davis said. "He was able to control the game for a while before that."
With the win Saturday Murphy is now 5-0 in his last six starts.
Freshman Greg Fazio (Far Hills/Ridge) singled, stole second, was sacrificed to third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Mulderig in the sixth inning to give Rider a 6-1 lead. Fazio scored three runs.
Lindsay's RBI single in the fifth inning, his second hit of the game, gave Rider a 5-1 lead. "He played against a lefty and did well, which is a good sign," Davis said of his left-handed designated hitter.
The Broncs scored three runs in the fourth inning on two hits, including an RBI single by Mulderig, and an Iona error to take a 4-1 lead.
The Gaels tied the score at 1-1 with a run on three hits in the second inning.
Rider took a 1-0 lead in the first when sophomore Nick Crescenzo (Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton) and senior Brandon Cotten (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley) singled and Wayman hit a sacrifice fly.
Cotton had two hits and two RBI. Cotten's second hit of the game was his 200th, just the 10th Bronc to ever compile 200 career hits. "They got him the ball," Davis said.
Junior Adam Wayman (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) had two hits, two stolen bases and scored two runs.
The Broncs stole six bases before shutting down the running game in the seventh inning, once the outcome was decided. "We took advantage of some opportunities today," Davis said. "Some guys got some good reads."
Rider took two of three games from Iona last year in Lawrenceville and has now won 11 of the last 13 meetings.
Rider and Iona have now met 47 times since the series began in 1960 with Rider winning 32. The Broncs won all three games the last time Rider traveled here to Iona, in 2010, took two out of three when Iona visited Lawrenceville in 2009 and Rider won all three at Iona in 2008. The Gaels won two of three in 2007.
The second and third games of the series will be played on Iona's field in New Rochelle Sunday. "Tomorrow is another day," Davis said. "With what went on elsewhere in the league it looks like we need to win one tomorrow to get in the playoffs. We have to come out tomorrow and play well."
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