LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Graduate student Mike Ionta (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) delivered the game-winning hit as the Rider University baseball team defeated visiting LIU Brooklyn, 6-5, on Wednesday afternoon at Sonny Pittaro Field.

The Broncs (6-12) snapped a four-game losing streak with the come-from-behind victory, while the Blackbirds (4-13) saw their two-game winning streak come to an end with the setback.

With the score tied at five in the bottom half of the eighth, Ionta stepped up to the plate with a runner in scoring position. After an LIU Brooklyn pitching change, Ionta smacked a single to right field that brought senior Richie Tecco (Drexel Hill, PA/Monsignor Bonner) charging home with the eventual game-winning run.

Out of the bullpen, senior Zach Gakeler (Jobstown, NJ/North Burlington) came on in the ninth to seal the win. Gakeler scattered one hit and struck out one batter to earn his team-leading third save of the season.

Junior Sebastian Williamson (Oley, PA/Oley Valley) worked a perfect 1-2-3 eighth inning in relief to earn the victory. Williamson's win was his first of the season and he also went 1-for-5 at the plate with an RBI.

NOTES & QUOTES
"It's always good to win. Tecco had a good hit with two strikes in the eighth and then he tagged up on the deep fly to center to advance to second. Our pitchers have to go deeper into games. Danny Kirwin did a good job in relief. It was a good team win. We used a bunch of guys. It's good to be home and it was a good win. LIU went to the regionals last year and they already beat Georgia this year." – Rider Head Coach Barry Davis

- Rider had 12 hits in the win. It marked the seventh time this spring that the Broncs recorded 10 or more hits in a game. Three Rider players had multi-hit games.
- At the top of the order, Kyle Johnson went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, an RBI and a run scored.
- Junior outfielder Jack Peterson went 3-for-4 with a double, one run scored and one RBI. It was his second multi-hit game as a Bronc and the three hits were a new career-high.
- Chris Roan went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. It was his second multi-hit game in his last three appearances.
- Colin Eiser got the start on the mound for the Broncs. He tossed two scoreless innings and did not surrender a hit. He walked four batters, picked off three and committed a throwing error. Eiser has not allowed a run over his last 11 and two-thirds innings pitched.

UP NEXT
Rider opens conference play this weekend, March 23-24, with a three-game series against Niagara. All three games will be televised on ESPN3. The Broncs and Purple Eagles get things underway on Saturday with a doubleheader that has first pitch scheduled for noon.