College Baseball

Virginia Military Institute 5, Rider University 2

Rider University 2, Virginia Military Institute 1

LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA—The Broncs split a doubleheader at Virginia Military Institute Friday. “We played better defense today,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “We were competitive today, pitching was good. When you do that you have a chance. We had a chance both games today and were fortunate to win one of them.”

In the second game junior Vincenzo Aiello (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) pitched a complete game, allowing no earned runs while striking out three. “Vinny pitched outstanding,” Davis said.  “He threw strikes, attacked the zone and his pitch count was down.  He did everything we needed him to do.”

Rider junior Lee Lipinski (Glen Arm, MD/Calvert) hit a pinch hit solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie. “Lee had a big hit,” Davis said.  “He got a 3-1 count (three balls, one strike) and hit it about as good as you can hit it.”

VMI (12-9) tied the score in the bottom of the sixth inning with an unearned run on a wild pitch.

Rider junior Dalton Mayberry (Chadds Ford, PA/Garnett Valley) hit an RBI double in the sixth inning to break a scoreless tie. Mayberry had two of Rider's seven hits.

Rider junior Tyler Kaiser (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) tripled in the second game after hitting two doubles in the first game. “He's our four hitter so he is supposed to do that,” Davis said of his cleanup hitter.

In the first game VMI hit two home runs in the seventh inning to take a 5-2 lead.

Rider sophomore Nick Margevicius (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius) pitched six innings, allowing three runs while striking out six. “Nick has pitched well, better than his record would indicate,” Davis said. “He threw strikes today, he battled and gave us a chance to win.”

Rider freshman Anthony Arneth (Oine Beach, NJ/Central Regional) pitched 1.1 innings of no-hit, no-run relief, striking out one. “He has started to settle into a role now,” Davis said of his rookie reliever. 

Kaiser had two of Rider's five hits, both doubles.

Rider junior Mike Volaski (Oxnard, CA/Oxnard) hit an RBI double and sophomore Jake Bender (Ellicot, Md./Marriotts Ridge) hit an RBI single to give Rider a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning.

Bender had hits in both games, as did Lipinski.

Rider is now 2-7 all-time vs. VMI.

Rider (2-13) will play the third game of the three-game series Sunday at 11am and that contest will be video streamed on the SOCON Network. “Hopefully we'll be able to keep building on it,” Davis said. “I liked what I saw today.”

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