LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University baseball team split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader with Marist on Saturday afternoon at Sonny Pittaro Field. Rider took the opener, 5-1, and Marist earned a 3-1 come-from-behind triumph in the series finale.

The Broncs (16-34, 7-14 MAAC) ended the year by winning three of their final four home conference contests, while the Red Foxes (25-23, 13-8 MAAC) snapped a two-game skid by winning the second game on Saturday.

In game one, Rider scored all five of its runs in the first frame without recording. In the opening frame, the Broncs saw five players walk, one batter hit by a pitch and Marist committed one error. Both Kyle Johnson (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) and Richie Tecco (Drexel Hill, PA/Monsignor Bonner) hit sacrifice flies in the first.

Three different Rider pitchers held Marist to just one run and senior Zach Gakeler (Jobstown, NJ/North Burlington) earned his team-leading fourth victory of the year out of the bullpen. Gakeler worked two and two-thirds scoreless innings and scattered just one hit, while striking out one hitter.

In the nightcap, Marist rallied to defeat Rider, 3-1. The Broncs opened the scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning courtesy of a two-out run-scoring single through the right side by junior Sebastian Williamson (Oley, PA/Oley Valley).

The Red Foxes answered with two runs in the top of the sixth and the guests would add an insurance run in the seventh.

On the bump, sophomore Joe Papeo (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) was the tough-luck loser for the Broncs. He tossed five and two-thirds innings and allowed two earned runs.

NOTES & QUOTES
"Today we pitched very well both games. The bullpen was solid for us as well. We just didn't get enough to out hits in game two to pull it out." – Rider Head Coach Barry Davis  

- Joe Simone had the lone Rider hit in game one. Simone also stole two bases in game one.
- Jack Peterson was hit by a pitch twice during the first game.
- Rider had eight batters walk in game one and two batters hit by pitches.
- Andrew Imperatore got the start in game one. He tossed three and two-thirds innings and allowed one earned run. He struck out two hitters and walked five.
- Anthony Arneth pitcher two-thirds of an inning in game one. He did not allow any runs and scattered two hits.
- Nick Payesko retired the only batter he faced in game two out of the bullpen.
- CJ Hirschy worked a scoreless inning in game two. He surrendered one hit.
- Zach Gakeler retired the only hitter he faced in game two out of the pen.

UP NEXT
Rider closes out the 2019 regular season with a three-game MAAC series at Monmouth on May 16-17. The Broncs and Hawks will play a single, nine-inning game on Thursday at 4:00 pm followed by a doubleheader on the Friday the 17