College Baseball

Rider University 7, NJIT 4

NEWARK, NJ— Senior Greg Fazio (Far Hills/Ridge) had a home run, a double and two more assists from the outfield to lead Rider to victory at the New Jersey Institute of Technology Wednesday night. “This was a pretty solid win,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis.  “It wasn't easy. NJIT swung the bat and their pitchers were good.”

With the win the Broncs (10-15) have now won six of their last seven games. “We just have to keep playing,” Davis said, “and keep improving. If we can do that we might be able to keep putting these types of runs together.”

Making his first collegiate start, freshman CJ Hirschy (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) pitched into the sixth inning, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and just one walk while striking out two, leaving the game with a 5-3 lead. Hirschy improves to 2-0. “CJ threw well,” Davis said.

Senior Eric Thomas (Dallastown, PA/Dallastown Area) pitched a three-up, three-down ninth inning for the save, his fifth. “Eric was good tonight,” Davis said. “He had good stuff and threw strike one, which is important.”  Thomas has now pitched 13 innings this year and has yet to allow a run.

NJIT (13-9-1) scored a single run in three straight innings to cut the lead to 5-3 after six.

Junior Jordan Leinweber (Castle Rock, CO/Douglas County) hit an RBI double to highlight a two-run eighth inning as the Broncs took a 7-3 lead.

An NJIT solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning cut the Rider lead to 7-4.

Fazio hit a three-run home run in the third inning to give Rider a 5-0 lead. It was his first home run of the season and the sixth of his career.

Fazio also had two assists from right field.  Fazio moved from second base to outfield this year and currently leads all of Division 1 baseball with nine outfield assists. “He threw behind a runner at first base again tonight,” Davis said. “He's got that play down pretty good. He's made the transition to the outfield pretty easily.”

Rider scored two runs in the second inning on two hits, including a double by Fazio, and an NJIT error to take a 2-0 lead.

Freshman reliever Mike Diorio (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) pitched one and two-thirds scoreless, hitless innings of relief.  “The bullpen was very good tonight,” Davis said. “No walks in almost four innings of relief is huge.”

Senior Justin Thomas (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South) and senior Mike Parsons (Liverpool, NY) each had two or Rider's 10 hits.

The Highlanders won eight in a row before losing to Fairfield Monday and have now lost two in a row.

Rider and NJIT split the four game series last year. Rider has won 10 of the 14 meetings.

Rider hosts Fairfield in a three-game MAAC series this weekend, beginning with a 12 noon doubleheader Saturday. “We're ready to go this weekend,” Davis said. “We have a big series with Fairfield.”

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