WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY – The Rider University baseball team split a doubleheader with Manhattan on Saturday afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action at Dutchess Stadium. The host Jaspers took the opener, 12-2, and the Broncs answered with an 8-4 triumph in game two.

Rider (10-22, 5-5 MAAC) has now won four of their last five conference games, while Manhattan (19-19, 8-3 MAAC) has won two of their last three league tilts.

In game one the Jaspers scored the first eight runs of the contest, highlighted by posting a five-spot in the home half of the first. The Broncs plated their runs in the opener on a sac bunt from junior Richie Tecco (Drexel Hill, PA/Monsignor Bonner) and a sac fly by freshman Liam Harding (Staten Island, NY/Saint Peter's Boys).

On the bump, junior Zach Gakeler (Jobstown, NJ/North Burlington) was saddled with the loss in game one after working two-thirds of an inning and surrendering five earned runs.

In game two, junior Brennan McAllister (Middletown, DE/Middletown) went a career-high 5-for-5 with four runs scored and an RBI to lead the Rider attack.

With the game tied at four in the top of the fifth frame, Tyler Stockwell (LaPlata, MD/La Plata High School) reached on an error and came around to score the eventual game-winning run on a triple to left center from sophomore Kyle Johnson (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial). The Broncs added insurance runs later in the game thanks to RBI singles from Junior Riley Mihalik (Churchville, PA/Chestnut Hill Academy) and senior Jake Bender (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge). Stockwell was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth to plate a run.

On the mound, sophomore Pete Soporowski (South Amboy, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) tossed five and a third innings to pick up his team-leading third win of the spring. Junior CJ Hirschy (Toms River, NJ/Toms River HS East) earned his first save of the season thanks to tossing one and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief. He surrendered just one hit and issued one walk.

NOTES & QUOTES
"We showed some resilience in game two after a poor performance in game one. We swung the bat well against a good pitcher, We had big days from several guys. Johnson's hit was a big one. We need to come back tomorrow and be ready to compete." – Rider Head Coach Barry Davis  

- Rider is now 5-5 in the MAAC and 3-16 on the road this year.
- The Broncs have won two of the last three against the Jaspers after topping Manhattan in last year's MAAC Tournament.
- Rider had 15 hits in game two.
- The Broncs have had 10 or more hits in five of their last six games.

 BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- In the opener, Riley Mihalik went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
- In relief in game one, Anthony Arneth tossed two and a third scoreless innings. He fanned five hitters and surrendered just one hit.
- In game two, Mihalik and McAllister accounted for seven Rider hits. Mihalik went 2-for-2 with three walks and an RBI.
- Jake Bender and Kyle Johnson each had two hits apiece in game two for Rider.

UP NEXT
The Broncs close out the three-game weekend set with the Jaspers on Sunday, April 22 with a single, nine-inning contest that is slated to begin at noon.