College Baseball
Rider University 8, Princeton University 6
PRINCETON—The Broncs won their lone non-conference game of the week with a victory at cross-town rival Princeton Wednesday afternoon. “Offensively we were better today than we've been in a while,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “Any time we score eight runs we should win the game.”
After the Tigers (12-26) cut the lead to 6-4 in the seventh inning, the Broncs (24-15) scored two runs in the top of the eighth on an RBI single by senior Adam Wayman (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial), an error and three wild pitches to take an 8-4 lead.
Wayman had two of Rider's 10 hits and now has 209 career hits, sixth most ever at Rider.
Princeton scored two runs in the ninth inning for the final score.
Senior Chris Taylor (Sterling, VA/Dominion) recorded the save, getting a pop-up for the final out. “They had runners on first and second with two outs,” Davis said. “We were fortunate.”
The save was the second of the season and third of the career for Taylor, who has appeared in 13 games this year and has allowed just one earned run.
Rider junior Jerry Mulderig (Langhorne, PA/Council Rock South) hit a three-run triple to give Rider a 3-2 lead in the third inning and the Broncs never looked back. “That was a big hit for us,” Davis said.
Rider senior Joe Calogero (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill HS West) started on a “Johnny Wholestaff” day and went three innings, allowing two runs on two hits, leaving the game with a 3-2 lead.
Junior Kyle Kennett (Spring Lake, NJ/St. Rose) was the second of seven Bronc hurlers and pitched three innings, striking out two while allowing one run on three hits. “Kennett was pretty good,” Davis said.
The Broncs took a 4-2 lead in the fourth on two hits, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI ground out.
In the fifth inning Rider scored two runs on two hits and two Princeton errors to take a 6-2 lead.
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on three hits.
For the Broncs, junior Ken Kremer (Hershey, PA/Hershey), senior Ian Lindsay (Oaklyn/Haddon Twp.), freshman Brian Donnelly (Churchville, PA/Council Rock South), junior Nick Crescenzo (Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton), sophomore Greg Fazio (Far Hills/Ridge), sophomore Eric Strano (Robbinsville) and sophomore Justin Thomas (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South) also had hits.
“We did a better job today with our at bats,” Davis said.
Princeton is just 4-5 at home this season. Rider is 12-11 away from home.
Rider defeated Princeton 10-9 last year in Lawrenceville. The last time Rider traveled to Princeton, during the 2011 season, the Broncs won 6-3. Rider and Princeton have now played 49 times since the series began in 1959 with Rider holding a 26-23 advantage.
Rider travels to Siena for a three-game MAAC series beginning with a 12 noon doubleheader on Saturday. “We've got a big weekend,” Davis said. “We have to play our best when the best is needed, and we're going to need it this weekend.”
Rider and Siena are currently tied for first place in the MAAC with 9-3 conference records.
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