NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – The Rider University baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader to host Niagara on Sunday afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action at Bobo Field. Niagara rallied to take the opener in extra innings, 6-5, and scored a 21-8, triumph in the nightcap.

The Broncs (11-33, 6-14 MAAC) have dropped eight straight contests, while the Purple Eagles (22-24, 11-10 MAAC) ran their winning streak to six games.

In game one, Rider plated the first four runs of the contest before Niagara would answer by scoring six of the final seven runs of the tilt. The Broncs got on the board in the top of the second courtesy of a run-scoring ground out from junior Richie Tecco (Drexel Hill, PA/Monsingor Bonner).

The guests would add three more runs in the fifth to stretch their lead to four thanks to run-scoring hits from Kyle Johnson (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) and Jake Bender (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge). Freshman Jake Barbiere (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) capped the Rider scoring the frame with sac fly to left.

Niagara answered in the bottom of the fifth with four runs to knot the game. The tie was short lived as Joe Simone (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) tripled with one out in sixth and came around to score the go-ahead run on a passed ball.

Once again, the Purple Eagles countered tying the game. In extra innings, Niagara walked off thanks to single with two runners on and no outs.

In game two, the Broncs plated the first two runs of the game thanks to an RBI ground out from sophomore Brennan McAllister (Middletown, DE/Middletown) and a solo homer from junior Riley Mihalik (Churchville, PA/Chestnut Hill Academy).

The Purple Eagles answered in the bottom half of the frame with 12 runs on 11 hits to chase Rider starter Vincent Vitacco (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) after just a third of an inning. The Broncs battled in the game, plating eight runs, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.   

NOTES & QUOTES
"We had an opportunity to win game one. We had chances and a four-run lead. It was there and we didn't take it. We didn't give ourselves a chance in game two. It was basically over in the first inning. – Rider Head Coach Barry Davis

- Rider is now 4-25 on the road this season and 6-26 overall outside of Lawrenceville.
- The Broncs had seven hits and committed two errors in the opener.
- Rider is now 1-12 in one-run games this spring.
- The Broncs hit three home runs on the weekend.  

 BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Mihalik's homer in game two was his team-leading seventh of the year. It is a new single-season career-high for him as he hit four as a freshman and five last season. He also has a team-best 28 RBIs this spring and 81 for his career. He went  2-for-3 with 2 RBIs, one run scored and one walk.
- Joe Simone had three hits in game two, while Mihalik, Johnson and Bender each had two hits apiece in game two.
- Junior reliever Zach Gakeler took the loss in game one. He worked two-plus innings out of the bullpen and surrendered one earned run. He struck out two Purple Eagles and scattered three hits while walking three batters.
- Jordan Silverman got the start in game one. He tossed six innings and gave up four earned runs.
- In the opener, Bender went 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI, one run scored and a walk.
- Anthony Arneth worked three innings of relief in game two and surrendered one earned run.

UP NEXT
Rider closes out the 2018 regular season with a three-game MAAC series at home against Quinnipiac that begins with a single, nine-inning game on Thursday, May 17.