ATHENS, GA – Senior catcher Lee Lipinski (Glen Arm, MD/Calvert Hall) went 3-for-4 with a run scored for the Rider University baseball team in a 9-3 setback versus Georgia on Sunday afternoon at Foley Field. The Broncs (5-6) took two of three from the Bulldogs (7-9) in the weekend series.

Rider opened the scoring in the first inning as leadoff hitter Kyle Johnson (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) came around to score on a ground out to short by Harrison McClure (Atlanta, GA/South Florida State/North Atlanta).

After two scoreless frames, Georgia broke out for four runs in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth. The Bulldogs took advantage of a quartet of Bronc errors to plate three unearned runs.

On the mound, junior Paul Sparano (Ewing, NJ/Ewing) was the tough-luck loser for Rider. Sparano tossed 3.1 innings and allowed six runs, only three of which were earned. He also struck out three batters.

The Broncs cut into the deficit and made it a four-run game at 7-3 in the top of the eighth courtesy of a two-run home run to right by Tyler Kaiser (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown). The blast was his first of the season and marked his second game in a row with an extra-base hit.

Georgia answered in the bottom half of the frame to stretch their lead back to six at 9-3 thanks to a two-run single to center.  

Offensively, Johnson also had a multi-hit game for the Broncs, going 2-for-4. Lipinski and Johnson combined for five of Rider's eight hits in the game. 

NOTES & QUOTES

“Six walks and four errors will hurt you every time,” Rider Head Coach Barry Davis said. "It's tough to win ball games when you're giving up free bases. Those stats never lie." 

- Rider scored in the first inning for the third game in a row.

- Johnson reached base safely to open the contest for the third straight game. 

- McClure's first-inning RBI was his fourth of the series and his seventh of the season. Kaiser also had four RBIs in the series. 

- After walking the leadoff batter, Sparano retired the next six batters he faced.

- Jordan Silverman worked two perfect innings of no-hit relief and he struck out one Bulldog. 

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS

- The Broncs outscored the Bulldogs, 12-0, in the first inning during the series

- Georgia committed 12 errors in the series. Rider committed a season-high four errors on Sunday. 

- Johnson's multi-hit game was his fourth in a row and the fifth of his career. In the series, Johnson hit .429 (6-of-14) with four runs scored, three RBIs and three extra-base hits. His OBP during the series was an impressive .500. 

ON DECK

Rider returns to action on Tuesday, March 14, with a non-conference road contest against Campbell that is slated to get underway at 6:00 PM. The tilt is the first of a two-game set versus the Camels in the Tar Heel State.