RUSTON, LA –
Jake Barbiere (Stratford, NJ/Sterling) and
Sean McGeehan (Hamilton, NJ/Nottingham) each had two hits and a run scored, but the Rider University baseball team fell at top-seeded and nationally-ranked No. 16 Louisiana Tech, 18-2, in the NCAA Division I Ruston Regional Friday night at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. With the loss, the Broncs (23-17) will face third-seeded Alabama in an elimination game Saturday at 3 p.m. (ET)/2 p.m. (CT).
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 2-0 lead two batters into the game on Hunter Wells' two-run home run to right center. Louisiana Tech added a third run in the first and two more in the second to chase Rider starting pitcher
Pete Soporowski (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) from the game.
Sebastian Williamson (Oley, PA/Oley Valley) pitched a scoreless third inning, but the Bulldogs tacked on a single run in the fourth and three more in the fifth to make it a 9-0 lead.
Rider got on the board in the seventh, piecing together two runs on three hits, a walk and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. Barbiere led off with a bunt single, before McGeehan and
Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood) followed with singles up the middle, the latter plating the Broncs' first run. A
David Bermudez (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) walk loaded the bases before
Lou Priolo (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern) was hit on the arm, plating McGeehan for the Broncs' second run. But Louisiana Tech jumped on the Broncs for nine runs on three hits, three walks, an error and two hit-by-pitches to balloon its lead to 18-2.
Quotes & Notes
"I knew going into the game that we had to pitch. We knew they were going to swing the bat – that's their game, swing, hit home runs, hit doubles, be aggressive. We didn't hit our spots, we fell behind. The fact that we got behind 5-0 was not a good start."
"We put good swings on the ball. We had some opportunities when it was 5-0. We had first and second with one out. We were swinging the bat. We hit into two double plays. We had a 2-0 count in one situation and we get fisted on a ball. We didn't do anything offensively to help ourselves, but we did have some opportunities to cut into the lead that may have changed the way we approached the back end of our bullpen."
– Rider Head Coach Barry Davis
- Soporowski took the loss, going 1.2 innings, while allowing five earned runs on six hits and two walks.
- Williamson pitched well in relief, allowing four earned runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out one over 5.1 innings pitched.
- Rider faced Louisiana Tech's ace, Jonathan Fincher. Fincher allowed two earned runs on six hits and a walk, striking out four over 8.0 innings.
- Rider left fielder
Kyle Johnson (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) made a full-extension, diving highlight-reel catch to end a Bulldog threat in the bottom of the second inning.
- The loss snapped the Broncs' five-game winning streak, with all five wins coming in the MAAC Championships.
- The Broncs are making their 14
th NCAA Regional appearance, their first since 2010.
- The Broncs earned the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's automatic bid into NCAA's, marching through the MAAC Tournament with five-straight wins, including a 7-2 win in the MAAC Finals against then 37-2 Fairfield on the Stags' home field.
Broncs by the Numbers
- Barbiere and McGeehan accounted for two thirds of Rider's hitting with two hits apiece.
- Skettini added an RBI single.
- Priolo had a single and an RBI on a hit-by-pitch.
- Bermudez also reached base on a walk.
