BASEBALL
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
2019 Home Opener
Rider Broncs (5-12) vs. LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (3-12)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ (Sonny Pittaro Field)
First Pitch: 3:00 pm
Live Stats: SidearmStats
Twitter: @RiderUBaseball

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Rider and LIU Brooklyn are squaring off in a non-conference contest in Lawrenceville at Sonny Pittaro Field on Wednesday, March 20. The Broncs are playing North of the Mason-Dixon Line and in the Garden State for the first time this season.

-  Rider and LIU Brooklyn are playing for the 41st time in the all-time series history.

- Freshman southpaw Colin Eiser will get the start on the bump for the Broncs. Eiser will be making his third career start and his fifth appearance overall for Rider. In 10 and two-thirds innings of work this year, he has amassed a 3.38 ERA with seven strikeouts. Eiser has not allowed a run over his last nine and two-thirds innings pitched this season.

- Senior first basemen Riley Mihalik has twice been named the MAAC Player of the Week this spring. He is batting .333 and he leads the team in hits (21), runs scored (12), extra-base hits (8), home runs (5), RBIs (15), total bases (39) and slugging percentage (.619). Mihalik has produced one multi-homer game, a team-best eight multi-hit games and recorded two or more RBIs in a game four times.

- Earlier this season, junior Kyle Johnson recorded his 100th career hit. Johnson and junior transfer Jack Peterson are tied for the team lead with six doubles.

- Out of the bullpen, senior Zach Gakeler has a 3.07 ERA. He has a team-high two wins to go along with two saves. Gakeler has struck out 18 batters in 14 and two-thirds innings of work.