College Baseball

Rider University 7, Iona College 0

Rider University 3, Iona College 1

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ—The Broncs swept Iona in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday.  It marks the third MAAC series (out of four) that Rider has won this season. “That's big,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis, “especially coming back from last week when we lost two out of three. It was big to bounce back like we did today.”

With the sweep Rider (18-17, 8-3 MAAC) is above .500 for the first time since February of 2014. “Hopefully we'll stay over .500,” Davis said.  “It is always a struggle when you start off with a tough schedule the way we did.”

Rider has won 14 of its last 17 games.

In the first game senior Eric Strano (Robbinsville) hit a three-run triple in the sixth inning and scored on a wild pitch to give Rider a 5-0 lead. “Every game you need somebody to pick you up,” Davis said, “and Strano did that today. Tomorrow it could be somebody else.”

Strano hit an RBI single with two outs in the fourth inning for a 1-0 lead. “Big day for him,” Davis said. “Breaking the ice with that hit in the fourth inning was important. If we can get everybody swinging the bat like Eric we'll be tough to beat.”

Senior Zach Mawson (Magnolia, DE/Caesar Rodney) pitched six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out six.  “I felt pretty good,” Mawson said.  “I was confident today. My change-up was working really well today.”

The victory was the fourth in the last four starts for Mawson (4-2). “Zach has been pretty consistent from the start of the season,” Davis said. “He did a great job today giving us six innings.”

RBI singles by senior Greg Fazio (Far Hills/Ridge) and senior Mike Parsons (Liverpool, NY) in the seventh inning gave Rider a 7-0 lead. Fazio had two hits in the first game.

Sophomore Lee Lipinski (Glen Arm, MD/Calvert) and junior James Locklear (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) each had two hits in the first game.

“Winning the first game of the series is huge,” Davis said.

In the second game senior Justin Thomas (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South) doubled in the sixth inning for Rider's first hit of the game and scored on an RBI double by Fazio for a 3-1 lead. “Big hit by Greg,” Davis said.

In the fourth inning Fazio walked, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error to give Rider a 2-0 lead.

Thomas hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning for a 1-0 lead.

Iona (12-26, 7-10 MAAC) scored an unearned run in the fifth inning to cut the lead to 2-1.

Freshman Nick Margevicius (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius) pitched into the sixth inning, allowing two hits while striking out four and left the game with a 2-1 lead. “Nick was able to get us deep into the ball game, which is what our goal was,” Davis said.

Senior Eric Thomas (Dallastown, PA/Dallastown Area) pitched a scoreless seventh inning, striking out two for his eighth save.

Rider sophomore Josh Sharik (Ewing, NJ/Plumstead Christian) pitched in relief in both games, a total of 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits. “Sharik came in and did a good job in both games today,” Davis said.

Sharik has now pitched in 24 of Rider's 35 games.

Junior Mariano Rivera, the son of the former Yankee closer, started for Iona and did not allow a hit until sixth inning, striking out seven, and allowed just one earned run in front of 15 major league scouts. “He has improved greatly since he pitched here two years ago,” Davis said of Rivera, who was drafted last year. 

Iona took two of three games from Rider in New Rochelle, NY last season. Rider has won 18 of the last 23 meetings with Iona and leads the all-time series 39-19.

Rider enters the third game of the series (Sunday at 12 noon) in first place in the MAAC.  “We feel for us to be a first place-type team we need to come out and win tomorrow,” Davis said.

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