NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Rider University baseball team completed the three-game sweep of its first conference opponent of the season Sunday, defeating Iona 8-1. The Broncs improve to 12-10 overall on the season, including a 3-0 league record. The Gaels fall to 0-19 overall, and 0-3 in MAAC play.
 
Rider scored first for the third time in the series. John Volpe (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) drew a two-out walk, then stole second. Socrates Bardatsos (Ridgewood, NJ/St. Joseph's Regional) made the Gaels pay for the walk, singling to center field and scoring Volpe.
 
Iona responded, taking advantage of a walk and a base hit to eventually tie the game on a fielder's choice.
 
Luke Lesch (Gloucester Township, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) led off the second with a double. He came in to score on a passed ball, then Alex Diamantis (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's Boys) delivered his first home run of the season, turning on a 1-1 pitch and sending it over the wall in left.
 
The Broncs continued the offensive onslaught in the third. Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) and Volpe led off the inning with back-to-back triples. Volpe came home on a Bardatsos single and the Broncs extended the lead to 5-1.
 
Jordan Erbe (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South[UMass]) led off the fourth being hit by a pitch. Erbe then stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and came in to score on a passed ball.
 
Both pitchers settled in at that point, maneuvering through the next two innings without allowing a run. In the seventh, Brendan O'Donnell (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) go on with a one-out single. Diamantis drove in his second run of the day with a double to left. He came in to score when Erbe hit a single to right center that stretched the lead to 8-1.
 
Quotes & Notes
"It's a good start to the conference season."
 
"We have quite a bit to work on, as we are far from a finished product."
 
"Vitacco was solid and it was good to get Dylan out there." – Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis
 
- Vincent Vitacco (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) made the start, settling in after the first inning run to total six innings, allowing just the single run and scattering five hits while striking out four.
- Dylan Heine (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield) tossed a pair of scoreless innings in relief, including a strike out.
- Danny Kirwin (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) completed the game on the mound for the Broncs, tossing the final inning without allowing a run, and striking out one.
- The Broncs had double-digit hits for the ninth time this season.
- Rider is 11-0 when scoring five or more runs this season.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Seven Broncs recorded a hit in the game, led by a pair from Bardatsos, Lesch, and Diamantis.
- Lesch extended his hitting streak to ten-straight games, the longest streak for the Broncs since Sebastian Williamson hit in 13-straight in 2019.
- Volpe stole his sixth base of the season.
 
Up Next
- The Broncs open play in the Liberty Bell Classic at Lehigh Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.