College Baseball
Rider University 4, Saint Peter's University 2
LAWRENCEVILLE—Senior Adam Wayman (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) hit a three-run double with two outs in the eighth inning to give Rider a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win over Saint Peter's Sunday afternoon.
With the victory, Rider (23-15, 9-3 MAAC) wins its fourth consecutive conference series and remains in first place in the MAAC. “Winning the series is always the goal,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “The way we did it was very satisfying. Hopefully this can be a spring board for us.”
In the eighth inning sophomore Justin Thomas (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South) singled and with one out sophomore Mike Parsons (Liverpool, NY) reached base on an error. With runners on second and third Saint Peter's (13-22, 6-6 MAAC) intentionally walked junior Jerry Mulderig (Langhorne, PA/Council Rock South), setting up Wayman's game-winner.
“I wanted to make them pay for intentionally walking Jerry to get to me,” Wayman said of his game-winner. The hit was the 207th of his career, ninth most ever at Rider and just two hits away from sixth. “When it was full count I got the fastball I was looking for and was able to put a good swing on it.”
“Adam was behind in the count 1-2 but battled back to get the count full and put a good swing on the ball,” Davis said. “A timely hit.”
“Jerry has been smoking the ball so I thought they'd pitch around him,” Wayman said, “and I'm glad they did.”
Thomas had two of Rider's five hits.
Peacock pitcher Zack Hopf was perfect through four and two-thirds innings. “Their kid pitched great,” Davis said. “He was in command. We kept battling him and we got a pitch to hit.”
Sophomore Kurt Sowa (Bensalem, PA/Fr. Judge) started, seeking his eighth win of the season and pitched seven innings, leaving the contest trailing 2-0. “Our starting pitching has been good,” Davis said. “Kurt was fine. He got us through seven (innings) and kept us in the ball game.”
Senior Sean Kuberiet (Branchburg/Somerville) pitched the eighth inning for the win and freshman Vincenzo Aiello (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) pitched the ninth inning, collecting three strikeouts for his second save. “Sean did a good job and Vinny was coming in initially to hold the game and he gets the save. He looked like he was comfortable out there.”
The Broncs also won two of three games at Saint Peter's last year. The Broncs had won 11 straight meetings with Saint Peter's before the loss last year. Rider has only lost to the Peacocks six times in 63 games since the series began in 1941.
The Broncs are 12-4 at home this year, including 7-2 in home MAAC play.
Rider travels cross-town to Princeton Wednesday before a MAAC weekend at Siena. “We just need to hit a little better,” Wayman said, “and we'll be fine.”
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