ELON, NC – The Rider University baseball team concluded their nine-day, spring break road trip on Sunday afternoon with a 13-4 setback against Elon in non-conference action at Latham Park.

The Phoenix (11-9) earned the series sweep against the Broncs (5-14) with their third straight victory.  

Elon scored early once again in game three of the series. The hosts plated four runs over the first three frames. On the day, the Phoenix scored in seven of their eight innings at the plate.

With the score tied at one, Elon began the third inning with back-to-back solo homers to take a 3-1 edge. The Broncs cut the deficit to just one in the fourth courtesy of a run-scoring double to the gap by junior Riley Mihalik (Churchville, PA/Chestnut Hill Academy).

Trailing by three at 5-2 in the top of the sixth, Rider sophomore Kyle Johnson (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) brought the Broncs back within one with a two-out, two-run single to center.

From there, the Phoenix would add single runs in the sixth and seventh innings before pulling away with a six-run outburst in the bottom of the eighth.

On the mound, junior transfer Zach Gakeler (Jobstown, NJ/North Burlington) took the loss for the Broncs after working the first four and a third innings and surrendering five runs (four of which were earned).

NOTES
- Rider is 3-12 in true road games this season.
- Rider had just four hits and committed one error.
- It was just the second time this spring that the Broncs did not record at least five hits in a game.  
- The Broncs were 1-of-5 at the plate with runners in scoring position.
- Johnson's two-run single in the sixth was the team's lone hit with two outs in the game. It was also the only hit for the Broncs with runners in scoring position.

 BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Riley Mihalik ran his hitting streak to 10 games with an RBI double to right center in the top of the fourth. He now has 103 career hits.
- Johnson's multi-RBI game was his first of the season.
- Richie Tecco and Jake Bender had the other hits for Rider on the day.

UP NEXT
Rider returns to the Garden State for its home opener on Wednesday, March 21 at 3:30 pm against in-state rival Rutgers. Last year, the Broncs topped the Scarlet Knights in New Brunswick.