LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University baseball team fell to visiting Wagner, 4-3, in eleven innings on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action at Sonny Pittaro Field.

The Broncs (6-21) have now dropped six games in a row, while the Seahawks (21-10) scored their ninth straight win.

With the score tied at three and two outs in the top of the 11, Wagner pushed across the game-winning run a flared single to center from Joe Silvestrone. In the bottom half, the Seahawks set the Broncs down in order to escape with the win.

Rider had a chance to score a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth as sophomore outfielder Joe Simone (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) led off the frame with a double to left. On the ensuing at bat, Richie Tecco (Drexel Hill, PA/Monsignor Bonner) laid down a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher. The Wagner reliever made an errant throw to first and Simone broke for home. In a bang-bang play at the plate, Seahawks second basemen Nick Mascelli gunned down Simone.

On the mound, junior Jordan Silverman (Holland, PA/Council Rock HS South) got the start and a no-decision for the Broncs. Silverman was effective, tossing three scoreless innings while striking out three and scattering two hits.

In relief, freshman Joe Papeo (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) was the tough-luck loser. The southpaw worked five innings and surrendered one earned run while scattering four hits and striking out a pair of Seahawks.

At the plate, Simone paced the Rider attack thanks to a 4-for-6 performance. He laced an RBI single and also chipped in a pair of doubles. Senior outfielder Christian Estevez (River Edge, NJ/River Dell) also collected two hits for the Broncs. He went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two walks.

NOTES & QUOTES
"We've lost eight one-run games this season. At some point that's going to pay off for us. We tried something different today to see if Silverman could start. He pitched well. Joe was strong in relief. We wanted to try that with him as well. Papeo's performance was encouraging. I thought our pitching gameplan went well. " – Rider Head Coach Barry Davis

- Rider is now 1-8 in one-run games this season.
- The Broncs are 1-3 in extra-inning games and lost three in a row after winning their first this year.
- Wagner defeated the Broncs for the second year in a row in Lawrenceville.
- Rider is now 15-6 all-time against the Seahawks.
- Rider left 11 runners on base.
- The Broncs smacked 10 hits and committed just one miscue on the day.

 BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Silverman made his first start since his freshman year. He set down the side in order in the second. He retired six of the final eight batters he faced. It was his team-leading 16th appearance of the spring. It was also Silverman's team-best seventh scoreless appearance this year. It was his fourth appearance of three or more innings in 2018.
- In relief, Nick Payesko worked three innings and allowed three earned runs. He retired the side in order in the fourth (his first inning of relief) and the sixth. He got the final four batters he faced out.
- Simone recorded his fourth straight multi-hit game. It was his second three-hit game in a row. Over the last week (five games) he is hitting .600 (12-of-20) with three RBIs, two doubles, three runs scored and two stolen bases.
- Estevez recorded his third multi-hit game of the year. He also scored a pair of runs and stole third base in the bottom of the fifth.
- Papeo retired eight batters in a row from the seventh through the ninth inning. He set the side down in order in the eighth and ninth.   
- Jake Barbiere had an RBI groundout on the day for the Broncs.

UP NEXT
The Broncs return to action at home on Saturday, April 14 with a home Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader against Saint Peter's that is scheduled to get underway at noon.