HAMDEN, CT – The Rider University baseball team fell on the road to Quinnipiac, 8-6, on Wednesday afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action at the QU Baseball Field.

The Bobcats (23-27, 15-7 MAAC) broke a 5-5 tie with a pair of runs in the ninth inning, while the Broncs (11-34, 6-15 MAAC) dropped their ninth straight contest.

With the bases loaded and one out in the top of the ninth frame, QU took the lead for good as junior Brian Moskey hit a two-run double down the left field line off Rider reliever Zach Gakeler (Jobstown, NJ/North Burlington). The Bobcats would add another insurance run later in the stanza.

Rider rallied in the ninth scoring a run on a Riley Mihalik (Churchville, PA/Chestnut Hill Academy) before Qu senior reliever Mike Davis got out of the jam.  

Trailing, 4-1, with two runners on and two outs in the sixth, Rider sophomore Kyle Johnson (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) hit a game-tying home run over the wall in left center. The blast, Johnson's first of the season, came on the first pitch of the at-bat.

On the mound, freshman Vincent Vitacco (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) got the start for Rider. Vitacco got a no-decision as he allowed five earned runs and worked into the eighth inning. In relief, Gakeler tossed the final inning and two-thirds and surrendered three earned runs while striking out a pair of Bobcats.

NOTES & QUOTES
"Vitacco was excellent today for us. He deserved to win. Johnson delivered a big hit off the bench with the three-run home run. We just didn't make enough plays to win." – Rider Head Coach Barry Davis

- Rider battled back from three separate deficits to tie the game.
- The Broncs had nine hits and did not commit an error.
- It was Rider's 12th game in 2018 without a fielding miscue.
- The Broncs have hit a home run in four straight games.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Johnson's homer was the third of his career. He had three or more RBIs for the second time this year. At the plate, he went 2-for-2 with the homer, a double, three RBIs and one run scored. It was his 12th multi-hit game of the year. He now has 96 career hits.
- Vitacco worked into the eighth inning for the second time in a start against a MAAC opponent. He struck out four Bobcats to go along with a pair of walks in seven and a third innings.
- Junior Brennan McAllister went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk and one run scored. McAllister now leads the team with a .346 batting average this spring. It was his fourth game with three or more hits.
- Joe Simone scored two runs in the game. He has a team-high 26 runs scored this year.
- Harrison McClure hits a sac fly in the first for the Broncs to tie the game at one. Later in the game he scored on a passed ball to tie the game at five.
- Senior Christian Estevez went 2-for-4. It was his fifth multi-hit game of the year.

UP NEXT
Rider closes out the 2018 regular season with a doubleheader against Quinnipiac on Friday, May 18 that is slated to get underway at 11:00 am.