LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Junior Riley Mihalik (Churchville, PA/Chestnut Hill Academy) and senior Harrison McClure (Atlanta, GA/North Atlanta) each had monster days at the plate to lead the Rider University baseball team to a pair of victories against hOURglass rival Saint Peters on Saturday afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action at Sonny Pittaro Field. Rider took the opener, 9-2, and the hosts also scored a 17-7 triumph in the finale to complete the three-game sweep.

The Broncs (9-21, 4-4 MAAC) won their first MAAC series of the season, while the Peacocks (0-27, 0-12 MAAC) remained winless on the year.

In game one, the Broncs scored runs in every inning except the first and sixth. Clinging to a one-run lead at 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth, Rider broke the game open with a four-run outburst. In the frame, sophomore Joe Simone (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) smacked a two-run single up the middle and senior Jake Bender (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge) added an RBI single to third.

Rider stretched their lead to seven at 9-2 and capped the scoring in the opener in the fifth courtesy of a two-run homer to right center by McClure. On the mound in game one, junior reliever CJ Hirchy (Toms River, NJ/Toms River HS East) tossed 3.1 scoreless innings to pick up his second win of the spring.

At the plate, McClure went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, two runs scored and two steals. Sophomore Tyler Stockwell (LaPlat, MD/La Plata High School) also had a strong game at the dish in the opener, going 2-for-3 with a double and three runs scored.

In game two, Mihalik and McClure combined for seven hits and RBIs. Mihalik went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer, a career-high six RBIs and two runs scored, while McClure had three hits and three RBIs.

The Broncs jumped on SPU early, plating five runs in the bottom of the first. After the Peacocks tied the game in the top of the second, Rider plated three runs in the second and two in the third. Rider had a dominant day at the dish, scoring runs in every inning except the fourth.

Freshman Joe Papeo (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) picked up his second win of the spring thanks to tossing three scoreless innings of relief. He scattered two hits and struck out one Peacock while issuing one walk. Junior Jordan Silverman (Holland, PA/Council Rock HS South) worked the final three innings to pick up his second save of the spring.

NOTES & QUOTES
"We needed to win these three games to get us back in the mix. We're 4-4. We reacted pretty good. They put some pressure on us. We swung the bat well. We got McClure and Riley going. We need confidence at the plate and this helps us. We're playing well. We handled our business today." – Rider Head Coach Barry Davis  

- Rider is now 4-4 in the MAAC and 4-4 at home this year.
- All nine Bronc starters reached base safely in game. Eight of the Rider starters had hits and four recorded multi-hit games.
- All nine Rider starters had a hit in game two.
- The Broncs have had 10 or more hits in four straight games.
- Rider had a season-high 21 hits and seven Broncs had multi-hit games in game two.
- The Broncs turned four double plays in game two.
- Rider stole 10 bases on the day (four in game one & six in game two).
- The Peacocks have now lost 66 games in a row.
- The win in game two was the seventh in a row for the Broncs against the Peacocks.
- Rider is now 42-10 all-time versus Saint Peter's.
- Rider did not strikeout at all at the plate in game two.
 
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Hirschy surrendered just one hit out of the pen. He retired the first six batters he faced. He came into the contest in the top of the fourth with runners on second on third.
- Sophomore Pete Soporowski got the start in game one for Rider on the mound. He went 3.2 innings and surrendered two earned runs. He struck out three Peacocks and issued three walks while scattering four hits.
- Freshman Vincent Vitacco got the start in game two. He tossed three-plus innings and allowed six runs (only two of which was earned) to go along with one strikeout and four walks. He surrendered eight hits.
- Mihalik had an impressive series hitting .636 (7-of-11) with three home runs and 11 RBIs.

UP NEXT
The Broncs return to action next weekend, April 21-22 traveling to the Empire State for a three-game conference series against Manhattan. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single, nine-inning contest on Sunday.