College Baseball

Monmouth University 8, Rider University 4

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ—The Broncs built an early lead but lost at Monmouth in the first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game of the season Friday. “I thought we played well, we competed,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “We were certainly in the ball game until the end, but you have to play all nine. Today we played almost eight.”

Trailing 4-3, Monmouth (9-11, 1-0 MAAC) scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, four coming on a grand slam, for the come-from-behind win. “It was a good ballgame,” Davis said.  “With bases loaded full count we didn't want to walk him so we had to come in and he didn't miss it.”

Rider sophomore Nick Margevicius (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius) pitched 5.1 innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out five without a walk. “He threw fine,” Davis said.  “He gave us a chance to win. Even though he didn't walk anyone his pitch count got up so we had to take him out in the sixth.”

Sophomore Teagan Piechnick (Canonsburg, PA/Canon-McMillan) hit an RBI double, junior Lee Lipinski (Glen Arm, MD/Calvert) hit an RBI single and junior Dalton Mayberry (Chadds Ford, PA/Garnett Valley) hit a two-run double to give Rider a 4-1 lead in the third inning. “We strung together some hits,” Davis said.  “That's how you put up three, four runs. Scoring runs early is great, if you score more later.”

Rider junior Mike Volaski (Oxnard, CA/Oxnard) had two of Rider's seven hits. “He had a couple hits and made some nice plays in the field today,” Davis said of his first-year third baseman.  Volaski has four hits in the last three games.

Monmouth took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a passed ball. Monmouth scored two runs in the fifth inning on three hits to cut the lead to 4-3.

Rider freshman Riley Mihalik (Churchville, PA/Chestnut Hill) and senior James Locklear (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) each singled and scored.

The Broncs took two of three games with Monmouth at Rider last season.

Rider and Monmouth have now met 64 times since the series began in 1976 with Rider winning 34. Monmouth won six straight before Rider won the series last season.

Rider (3-15, 0-1 MAAC) will play a doubleheader at Monmouth Saturday beginning at 12 noon. “Monmouth is pretty good,” Davis said. “Today you have to tip your hat to them. This weekend will be a good measuring stick for us.”

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