College Baseball

Saint Peter's University 3, Rider University 0

Saint Peter's University 8, Rider University 7

JERSEY CITY, NJ—Despite out-hitting the host Peacocks in both games, Rider lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader at Saint Peter's Saturday.

“We made too many mistakes and we didn't hit well with men in scoring position,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis.

In the second game, junior Justin Thomas (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South) hit a two-run triple to cut the lead to 8-7 in the seventh inning, but that was as close as Rider (9-19, 3-3 MAAC) could get. “He just missed hitting a home run,” Davis said, “and he hustled out of the box  to get to third with the potential tying run.”

Thomas had three hits in the doubleheader.

Saint Peter's (10-21, 4-6 MAAC) used a walk and two singles to score a run in the bottom of the sixth inning, taking an 8-5 lead. “We didn't pitch well game two,” Davis said.

An RBI single by Rider junior Greg Fazio (Far Hills/Ridge) and a two-run single by sophomore James Locklear (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) in the sixth inning cut the Saint Peter's lead to 7-5.

Fazio had five hits on the day, including a pair of doubles.

The Peacocks scored three runs in the fifth inning on two singles, two walks and a home run to take a 7-2 lead.

A Locklear double, a single by sophomore Connor Luff (Milford, DE/Milford), a sacrifice fly by junior Nick Richter (Fox River Grove, Ill./Cary-Grove) and an RBI single by freshman Giovanni Gussen (Mullica Hill, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) cut the Saint Peter's lead to 4-2 in the third inning.

Gussen has hit safely in all eight games since coming back from missing two weeks with an injury. “It hurt us when he was out,” Davis said. “He was just starting to come around when he got hurt.”

Saint Peter's jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on three hits, including a two-run home run.

In the first game Rider out-hit Saint Peter's 6-5.

Fazio had two of Rider's six hits, including a double, his first of two on the day. Rider junior Mike Parsons (Liverpool, NY) also doubled.

The Peacocks scored two runs in the seventh inning on a  single, three walks and a sacrifice fly to take a 3-0 lead.

Saint Peter's scored on an error, a fielder's choice and a single to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.

Senior Kyle Kennett (Spring Lake, NJ/St. Rose) started and pitched six innings, allowing just one unearned run on four hits while striking out four and walking one. “Kyle deserved better,” Davis said. “You can't ask for better than what he gave us today.”

The MAAC Pitcher of the Week the first week of April, Kennett pitched out of a second and third one out jam in the first inning with a pair of strikeouts and pitched out of a first and third one out jam in the fifth with a strikeout.

Kennett has allowed just one earned run in his last 19 and one-third innings.

The third game of the series is Sunday at 1pm at Saint Peter's. Junior Kurt Sowa (Bensalem, PA/Fr. Judge), the 2013 MAAC Pitcher of the Year, will be on the mound for Rider. “We had something going (three straight wins) now we've lost two so we have to get back on track tomorrow,” Davis said. “We'll come out and play hard.”

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