Box Score College Baseball
Rider University 4, Virginia Tech 3 12 innings
BUIES CREEK, NC—The Broncs scored in the top of the 12th inning to defeat Virginia Tech to even their record at 2-2 in the CU Invitational, hosted by Campbell University.
“Considering who we played, I'm happy with our (2-2) start,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “We were in every ballgame. For the most part we played toe-to-toe with two good teams and we were competitive.”
Senior Nick Richter (Fox River Grove, Ill./Cary-Grove) led off the top of the 12th inning with a double and scored on a throwing error to give Rider a 4-3 lead. “When he hit it I thought it had a chance to get out (home run),” Davis said.
Senior Eric Thomas (Dallastown, PA/Dallastown Area) pitched the 12th inning for the save, his second of the year and the sixth of his career. “He did a good job,” Davis said.
Va Tech (3-3) used a double, a walk and a single in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 3-2, and tied the score at 3-3 in the eighth inning with an unearned run with two outs.
Rider (2-2) freshman Nick Margevicius (North Royalton, Ohio/Saint Ignatius) pitched six innings in his collegiate debut, allowing two runs on six hits, striking out four while walking two. “He's good,” Davis said of his new big lefty. “For his first outing you couldn't ask for a better performance. He threw strikes.”
Rider senior Justin Thomas (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South), who hit the ground ball that was thrown away, allowing the winning run (Richter) to score, hit a solo home run to give Rider a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning. It was the eighth career home run for Thomas.
Thomas and Richter each had two of Rider's six hits.
Va Tech got on the board with a double and a single in the fifth inning, cutting the lead to 3-1.
First-year Rider junior Patrick Murphy (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) hit a two-run single in the third inning to give the Broncs a 2-0 lead. “Murphy got the big hit in the third inning,” Davis said.
Senior David Hafer (Pine Grove, PA) pitched two-thirds of an inning for the win, his second of the season and the seventh of his career. “Hafer did another good job,” Davis said.
Sophomore Josh Sharik (Ewing, NJ/Plumstead Christian) pitched two and one-third innings of scoreless relief. “Josh threw great,” Davis said.
Rider had six hits to Va Tech's 11. “We didn't hit, which I contribute to their pitching, but our hits were timely,” Davis said, “but we played good defense when we needed to play good defense.”
Rider returns to North Carolina Friday for a three-game series with Duke. “That will be another good test for us,” Davis said. “We just had a good weekend and hope to have another one next weekend.”
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