College Baseball

Lafayette College 6, Rider University 3

FLEMINGTON, NJ—The Rider baseball team has never played a game in New Jersey in the month of February, and probably never will, but the Broncs came close this year, playing on March 1.

Rider (0-4) lost to Lafayette (1-3) Tuesday at the Diamond Nation complex. “Overall we played a little better,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis.  “We expected to play better. We did not have as many opportunities as they did today.”

Lafayette out-hit Rider 9-6. “They swung the bat a little bit,” Davis said “We gave up 10 walks but as far as giving up runs we pitched better.”

Rider junior Tyler Kaiser (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) hit a two-run double in the ninth inning to cut the lead to 6-3.

Rider junior Dalton Mayberry (Chadds Ford, PA/Garnett Valley) doubled and scored in the eighth inning. Mayberry had two of Rider's six hits. “He smoked a ball to centerfield,” Davis said. “He had a good swing on it. He's a good hitter.”

Lafayette took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a pair of walks, a balk, a double and a single and went up 4-0 in the sixth. “We've given up a lot of runs in the first inning already this year,” Davis said.

Also for Rider, sophomore Jake Bender (Ellicot, Md./Marriotts Ridge), junior Lee Lipinski (Glen Arm, MD/Calvert) and sophomore Brian Uliana (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) collected hits. Bender has four hits in four games. “Bender has been consistent,” Davis said.

Freshman Dylan Simcik (Newtown, PA/Holy Ghost Prep) pitched two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit. “Simcik has been throwing well,” Davis said.  In his first two outings Simcik has allowed three hits and one run in four innings. “He threw a double play ball today to get out of a jam.”

Freshman Jack Finn (Ellicott City, MD/Calvert Hall) made his collegiate debut behind the plate. “Finn played well today,” Davis said.  “He blocked the ball and threw the ball well. He did a good job for us today.”

Rider and Lafayette are former Middle Atlantic Conference and East Coast Conference rivals and have met 80 times since the series began in 1947. Rider holds a 43-37 advantage in the series.

Rider travels to North Carolina for a four-game series at Gardner-Webb beginning Friday at 4pm. “We have a lot of work to do,” Davis said.  “Gardner-Webb is going to be as good as anyone we've played so far.”

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