Box Score College Baseball
Rider University 7, Lehigh University 6 (10 innings)
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ—Senior Eric Strano (Robbinsville) hit an RBI single, his second hit of the game, with one out in the 10th inning to give Rider an extra inning win over Lehigh Tuesday. “It was a good win,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “We were fortunate to win, allowing 10 walks and committing two errors, but we were able to minimize the damage.”
With the win, Rider (16-17, 6-3 MAAC) has now won 12 of its last 15 games.
In the 10th inning senior Mike Parsons (Liverpool, NY) walked and advanced to second on a single by sophomore Tyler Kaiser (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown), Kaiser's second hit of the game. Strano followed with the game-winner, scoring Parsons.
“I felt pretty good with Mike's speed on second base,” Strano said. “I knew he would score on any type of hit.”
Parsons started Tuesday for the 195th time in his career (every game all four years), setting a new Rider record for consecutive starts. The old record was set by Joe Doto in 1996. Parson's 195 consecutive starts is the fifth longest streak in Division I among active players.
Rider tied the game at 6-6 in the ninth inning when senior Nick Richter (Fox River Grove, Ill./Cary-Grove) walked with two outs and was running on the pitch when junior James Locklear (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) singled, allowing Richter to score from first with the tying run.
Locklear had three hits and two RBI in the game. “When James stays through the ball and doesn't try to pull everything he can be really tough,” Davis said, “and that is what he did today.”
The Broncs tied the score at 5-5 in the seventh inning when Locklear singled, stole second and scored on a double by senior Justin Thomas (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South). Thomas now has eight hits, including five doubles, and six RBI in the last five games.
Rider tied the score at 3-3 with a pair of runs in the fourth inning when Locklear doubled and scored on a single by junior Patrick Murphy (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) and Murphy scored on an RBI single by Kaiser.
The Mountain Hawks (15-24, 9-7 Patriot) took a 2-1 lead in the third inning on two hits and a Rider error.
Rider senior Eric Thomas (Dallastown, PA/Dallastown Area) pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the win, his first. The Rider closer, Thomas has seven saves this year and has not allowed an earned run.
Rider defeated Lehigh 9-4 earlier this season, in the first round of the Liberty Bell Classic on March 24. Rider also beat Lehigh in 2013, 6-4. Rider defeated Lehigh 13-0 in 1989 and the two teams did not meet again until 2007, a 12-5 Rider win.
Rider and Lehigh are former East Coast Conference (1975-1990) rivals. Rider won its first ECC Title, in 1984, at Lehigh. Rider and Lehigh have now met 48 times with Rider holding a 35-13 advantage in the series that began in 1967.
Rider has its easiest commute of the season on Wednesday, a road trip to Princeton to play the Tigers at 3:30pm. The Broncs host Iona in a three-game MAAC series this weekend, beginning with a 12 noon doubleheader Saturday. “Big series,” Davis said. “They have quality starting pitching and they are in the playoff hunt.”
“Every MAAC series is big,” Strano said, “but they took two of three from us last year and we just came off of losing two of three (at Marist) so we all want to get back on the horse this weekend and play Iona tough.”
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