Baseball
Friday, April 22, 2022 at 3:00 PM/ Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 1:00 PM/ Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 12:00 PM
Rider Broncs (18-16, 6-3 MAAC) vs. Manhattan Jaspers (16-17, 6-6 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ (Sonny Pittaro Field)
First Pitch: 3:00 PM/1:00 PM/12:00 PM
Watch Live (ESPN3 – Friday and Sunday only): Friday/Sunday
Live Stats: GoBroncs.com
Twitter: @RiderUBaseball
 
 
What You Need To Know
 
- The Broncs entered the 2021 MAAC Tournament as the three-seed before going 5-0 in the MAAC Tournament to earn the program's third MAAC Championship.
 
- Rider advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third time under head coach Dr. Barry Davis, a feat also accomplished in 2008 and 2010. Davis has accumulated 980 career victories between his time at Gloucester County College (Rowan College of South Jersey), Georgia Southwestern University, and Rider.
 
- Rider was picked to finish fifth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
- Rider returns six offensive starters from a season ago. Among the returners are Jake Barbiere (Randolph, NJ/Randolph), who led the team with a .314 average last year, MAAC All-Rookie Catcher Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood), and MAAC Tournament MVP Jordan Erbe (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South).
 
- The Jaspers hold a scant 38-35 edge in the all-time series that has always been evenly matched. The Broncs took three-of-four last season, including a gem thrown by Pete Soporowski in game one of the series, that included a stretch of 16-straight batters retired.
 
- Friday's probable starters are Joe Papeo (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) for the Broncs and Will Hesslink for the Jaspers. Papeo is 4-3 with a 6.90 ERA this season, and is coming off one of his best outings of the season. The graduate student tossed six scoreless innings in the Broncs victory over Niagara. Hesslink is 2-5 with a 3.54 ERA on the year. Hesslink has given up four runs in each of his last three outings, all against conference opponents.
 
- Saturday's game is projected to feature Frank Doelling (Riverside, NJ/Riverside) and Jordan Warecke. Doelling is 2-4 with a 4.93 ERA, suffering a pair of tough-luck no decisions in his last two starts. Doelling tossed a combined 14.1 innings, allowing just a single run and striking out 13 over that stretch. Warecke leads the Jaspers in wins this season, sporting a 3-3 record with a 4.76 ERA.
 
- Sunday's series finale matchup is Vincent Vitacco (Staten Island, NY/Mosignor Farrell) against Kyle Lesler. Vitacco has been one of the Broncs best arms this season, currently owning a 2-2 record with a 4.14 ERA. After starting the season in the pen, Vitacco has now started six games, earning a no decision against both Fairfield and Niagara.
 
- The Broncs have taken full advantage of the long ball this season, hitting 31 home runs. The 31 home runs are more than the Broncs' output from the last two seasons combined, and most in a season since the squad hit 33 in 2010. Brendan O'Donnell (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) has 10 home runs this season, second most in the MAAC, including homers in four straight games during the spring trip to help earn MAAC Player of the Week honors on March 22.
 
- John Volpe (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) leads the Broncs with a .301 average this year. He also leads the Broncs with eight stolen bases on the season. Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) has been wielding the Broncs hottest bat as of late, hitting safely in nine straight.
 
- Six has been the magic number this season for the Broncs. Rider is 15-0 when scoring six or more runs and is 3-16 when held to five or fewer.
 
- Rider's bullpen has made sure to hold leads. The Broncs are 16-0 this season when leading after six innings. Cal Stalzer (West Des Moines, IA/Valley[George Washington/Kirkwood C.C.]) leads the MAAC, and ranks 61^st nationally, with five saves this season.
 
- The Jaspers are 6-6 in conference play this year after struggling last week, getting swept by Fairfield. They are led offensively by David Bermudez, who is second in the MAAC with a .394 average. Bermudez, a Second-Team All-MAAC selection a season ago for the Broncs, transferred to Manhattan this past summer.