LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University baseball team could not find timely hitting Tuesday afternoon, falling to in-state rival Rutgers 5-2. The loss sends the Broncs to 9-10 on the season, while the Scarlet Knights improve to 14-5.
 
Rutgers opened the scoring in the second, taking advantage of a Bronc error to plate the game's first run. Rutgers added runs in the fifth and sixth to extend the lead to 3-0.
 
Brendan O'Donnell (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) led off the bottom of the sixth with a single. Two batters later, Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood) singled back up the middle and O'Donnell took advantage of a misplay in the outfield to take third. That would be important as O'Donnell came home to score on a sacrifice fly by Alex Diamantis (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's Boys).
 
In the seventh, Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) hit a one-out single, followed by John Volpe (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) placing a ball down the right field line to place runners on the corners for Socrates Bardatsos (Ridgefield, NJ/St. Joseph's Regional). Bardatsos came through with an RBI single that whittled the lead to just one. Rutgers got out of the jam without any further damage, going around the horn for an inning-ending double play.
 
More Rider miscues led to a pair of runs for Rutgers in the eighth, extending the lead back to three.
 
The Broncs put up a fight in the ninth. Winsett hit a one-out single, followed by a Volpe single that placed runners on the corners for Bardatsos. The junior punched a ball back up the middle, but the Scarlet Knight pitcher made a fantastic stab of the ball and made the play to get Winsett at the plate. O'Donnell singled to load the bases with two outs, but a fly ball to center ended the contest.
 
Quotes & Notes
"Rutgers is really playing well right now, it was good test for us."
 
"We pitched well, we just didn't get enough of those clutch, two-out hits. That's going to happen sometimes, you just aren't going to get enough hits."
 
"It's always nice to play at home. Whenever the game's over, you aren't driving two, three, ten hours, or back to a hotel." – Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis
 
- Vincent Vitacco (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) started for the Broncs, allowing just a single unearned run, but was the tough-luck loser. The graduate student allowed four hits and struck out a pair.
- Frank DelGuercio (Millstone, NJ/The Hun School) tossed three innings, giving up two runs on three hits, while striking out three.
- Kyle Smith (Stratford, NJ/Sterling) threw 2.2 innings, allowing just the two unearned runs. He scattered three hits.
- Brian Young (Neptune, NJ/Communication) recorded the final out for the Broncs with a strike out.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Eight Broncs recorded hits in the game, led by a pair from Winsett, Volpe, and O'Donnell.
- Lesch extended his hitting streak to seven-straight games. O'Donnell has a hit in six-straight.
- All nine spots in the Broncs lineup reached base at least once during the game.
 
Up Next
- The Broncs begin MAAC play Friday with a trip to Iona for a three-game series. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m.