Box Score College Baseball
Saint Joseph's University 7, Rider University 4
PHILADELPHIA, PA—The Broncs managed just three hits in a loss at Saint Joseph's Tuesday.
“Three hits isn't going to do it,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “We didn't play bad and we were in the game, but we need to take advantage of our opportunities. We didn't have very many.”
The win was the eighth in a row and 12th in the last 13 games for the Hawks. “Saint Joe's is pretty good,” Davis said. “They are in their playoff hunt.”
St. Joe (27-10, 13-4 Atlantic 10) scored four runs on four hits, including a two-run home run, to take a 7-4 lead in the sixth inning.
Rider (13-26, 5-8 MAAC) took a brief 4-3 lead in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Brian Donnelly (Churchville, PA/Council Rock South). Donnelly knocked in two of Rider's runs. “We had a 3-3 ball game, bases loaded nobody out and we got just one run out of it,” Davis said. “That's the inning where we have to do better.”
Rider tied the score at 3-3 in the fifth inning with two runs on a walk, a pair of errors and a pair of RBI ground outs.
Junior Greg Fazio (Far Hills/Ridge) singled and scored in the top of the second inning to cut the lead to 3-1. Freshman Giovanni Gussen (Mullica Hill, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) had a hit and an RBI.
St. Joseph's took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on three hits, an error and a passed ball.
Junior Eric Strano (Robbinsville) played for the first time since February and singled. “Considering he hasn't played since game three, he drew two walks and got a hit,” Davis said. “That's getting on base three out of four times, that's productive and we've missed that.”
Strano was lost after just three games with a broken hand but was cleared to play on Monday.
Junior Nick Richter (Fox River Grove, Ill./Cary-Grove) walked and stole his 30th base of the season. The Rider record for stolen bases in a season is 40, set in 1967 by Rider Hall of Famer Mike Lisetski. “Certainly he can do it but he has some work to do,” Davis said of his leadoff third baseman breaking the record.
Richter entered the game second in the nation in stolen bases. “If he gets on base he'll have the opportunity to do it,” Davis said.
Strano replaced senior centerfielder Nick Crescenzo (Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton) in the lineup. Crescenzo broke his hand diving for a ball last week. Crescenzo recently collected his 200th career hit and ranks 10th on Rider's career hit list.
Junior Eric Thomas (Dallastown, PA/Dallastown Area) pitched two and two-thirds innings of relief, striking out seven while allowing just one hit. “He threw the ball pretty good,” Davis said.
Rider is scheduled to host Lafayette Wednesday at 3:30 pm. “We'll make every effort to play that game but the forecast is not good,” Davis said of the impending rain.
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