Baseball
Friday, April 8, 2022 at 3:00 PM/ Saturday, April 9, 2022 at 1:00 PM/ Sunday, April 10, 2022 at 12:00 PM
Rider Broncs (15-12, 3-0 MAAC) vs. Fairfield Stags (14-12, 5-1 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ (Sonny Pittaro Field)
First Pitch: 3:00 PM/1:00 PM/12:00 PM
Watch Live (ESPN3): Friday/Saturday/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 977 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 a season ago, MAAC All-Rookie Catcher Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood), and MAAC Tournament MVP Jordan Erbe (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South).
 
- Friday's meeting will be the first for the Broncs and Stags since the two met in the MAAC Championships last season. The Broncs turned that championship game into a home run derby, scoring all seven of their runs on the long ball. Kyle Johnson, Skettini, Lou Priolo, Sean McGeehan, and Socrates Bardatsos (Ridgefield, NJ/St. Joseph's Regional) each went deep for the Broncs in that game.
 
- Friday's probable starters are Joe Papeo (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) for the Broncs and Jake Noviello for the Gaels. Papeo is 3-2 with a 6.57 ERA this season, and has won both of his last two starts, striking out 13 in 13 innings over that stretch. Noviello is 1-2 with a 7.06 ERA this season. Noviello was First-Team All-MAAC and an ABCA/Rawlings Second-Team All-Region performer last season.
 
- Saturday's game is projected to feature Frank Doelling (Riverside, NJ/Riverside) and Bryson Cafaro. Doelling is 2-4 with a 6.89 ERA, but did look solid in his first conference appearance this season, tossing five innings against Iona, allowing just a pair of runs. Cafaro, The MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year a season ago, has given up four runs in each of his two conference starts this season.
 
- Sunday's series finale matchup is Vincent Vitacco (Staten Island, NY/Mosignor Farrell) against a to be determined pitcher for Fairfield. Vitacco has been one of the Broncs best arms this season, currently sporting a 2-2 record with a 4.05 ERA. After starting the season in the pen, Vitacco has now started four games, earning the victory in each of his last two appearances. In his non-Virginia appearances, Vitacco has thrown 23.0 innings with a 2.35 ERA.
 
- The Broncs have taken full advantage of the long ball this season, hitting 25 home runs. The 25 home runs are more than the Broncs' output from the last two seasons combined. Brendan O'Donnell (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) has eight home runs this season, 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.
 
- Bardatsos leads the Broncs with a .300 average this season, and is riding a six game-hitting streak into Friday's game. John Volpe (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) has hit safely in nine straight.
 
- Six has been the magic number this season for the Broncs. Rider is 13-0 when scoring six or more runs and is 2-12 when held to five or fewer.
 
- Rider's bullpen has made sure to hold leads. The Broncs are 13-0 this season when leading after six innings. Cal Stalzer (West Des Moines, IA/Valley[George Washington/Kirkwood C.C.]) leads the MAAC, and ranks 36^th nationally, with five saves this season, including saves in four of his last five appearances.
 
- The Stags are 5-1 in the MAAC after taking two of three from Marist to open league play, then sweeping Niagara last week. Fairfield was picked second in the preseason coaches' poll and catcher Mike Caruso was named the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year.