BUIES CREEK, NC – The Rider University baseball team erased a late, three-run deficit with runs in their final three at-bats to rally past host Campbell, 12-7, on Wednesday afternoon at Jim Perry Stadium. The Broncs (6-7) ended a two-game skid and earned a series split with the Camels (7-10) thanks to scoring two runs in the seventh, five in the eighth and one in the ninth.

Offensively, Riley Mihalik (Churchville, PA/Chestnut Hill Academy) and Mike Volaski (Oxnard, CA/Ventura CC/Oxnard) led the charge for Rider, combining for six hits. Mihalik went 3-for-5 with two extra-base hits, one RBI and one run score, while Volaski went 3-for-5 with two extra-base hits, two runs scored and three RBIs. Both Mihalik and Volaski were a homer shy of the cycle. Harrison McClure (Atlanta, GA/South Florida State/North Atlanta), Jake Bender (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge) and Kyle Johnson (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) all recorded two hits apiece for Rider.

Trailing 7-4 entering the seventh inning, Rider cut the deficit to just one with two runs and two hits in the frame. In the stanza, Volaski had an RBI triple that plated McClure and he would later come around to score on a ground out from Tyler Kaiser (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown).

After a retiring the side in order in the bottom half, the Broncs erupted for five runs in the eighth to take a lead they would not surrender. Johnson delivered a run-scoring double and Bender followed with a single that scored Johnson with what proved to be the game-winning run. With two outs in the frame, Volaski had an RBI double and Kaiser added a two-run double to right.

On the mound, Dylan Simcik (Newtown, PA/Holy Ghost Prep) worked two innings of scoreless, no-hit relief to earn his team-leading third win of the season. Simcik, who is now 3-0, struck out two Camels. To close things out, Andrew Tumbelty (Westampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) threw a scoreless ninth as Rider picked up its sixth win of the spring.

Although he entered with the team trailing, Josh Sharik (Ewing, NJ/Plumstead Christian School) tossed 3.2 innings and struck out one hitter to keep the Broncs in the game.

NOTES & QUOTES

“Our top of the order hit the ball well,” Rider Head Coach Barry Davis said. "The 1-5 hitters had 12 hits on the day with Bender, Volaski and Kaiser delivering clutch hits in the eighth."

"It's a good win for us," Davis added. "Our bullpen was strong once again. Sharik and Simcik were outstanding in relief." 

- Mihalik's multi-hit game was his second in a row and his fifth of the spring. It also marked his third career three-hit game (first of 2017). 

- Lee Lipinski's pinch-hit sac fly in the fifth was his team-leading third of the season. 

- Rider outhit Campbell, 14-12. It marked the fourth time in the last five games that the Broncs registered 10 or more hits. The 14 hits tied a season-high set last series at Georgia.

- McClure's multi-hit game was his fourth in his last six games. 

- Five Broncs had multi-hit games.

- Mike Diorio got the start for Rider and he went 2.1 innings and surrendered six earned runs, while giving up five hits and walking three batters. 

- The three hits from Volaski were a career-best and the three RBIs tied a career-high that he previously set last series at Georgia.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS

- On Tuesday, Kyle Johnson was named the College Sports Madness MAAC Player of the Week. Also, junior lefty Nick Margevicius was tabbed as the MAAC Pitcher of the Week.

- Johnson picked up his team-leading fifth stolen base of the season in the third inning with a theft of second base. He has five of the team's nine steals in 2017.

- Rider had seven extra-base hits in the game.

ON DECK

Rider closes out its spring break trip with a three-game weekend series against Radford in Virginia. The Broncs and the Highlanders will open up on Friday, March 17, with a nine-inning contest that is slated to begin at 4:00 pm.