LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University baseball team showed its resiliency Friday afternoon, fighting back from down 5-1, and scoring all of its runs with two outs, to earn a 7-6 victory over Canisius in a key MAAC game. The Broncs improve to 23-21 overall and 10-7 in the MAAC, while the Golden Griffins fall to 22-21 on the season and 12-7 against league opponents.
 
The Broncs fell behind early as the Golden Griffins plated a run in the first, then added two more in the third.
 
Rider got one back in the bottom of the third. Socrates Bardatsos (Ridgefield, NJ/St. Joseph's Regional) turned on a pitch and sent it over the fence in right for a home run.
 
After Canisius scored another two to extend the lead to 5-1 in the top of the fifth, Rider stormed back in the bottom half. John Volpe (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) singled with one out. Two batters later, Bardatsos singled to put runners on the corners with two outs. Jake Barbiere (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) drove in a run with a single to center. Luke Lesch (Gloucester Twp., NJ/Gloucester Catholic) then came through, hitting a three run bomb to right center that tied the game.
 
In the seventh, Volpe led off the inning with a walk. With two outs, and Volpe on second, Barbiere ripped a ground rule double that cleared the fence in left center on a single bounce. Later in the inning, Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood) hit an RBI-single, scoring Skettini for what would be a very important insurance run.
 
In the ninth, Canisius hit three-straight singles to load the bases with no outs. Rider then got a strike out for the first out of the inning. The Golden Griffins scored on a sacrifice fly out to right field, but a lazy fly ball to left sealed the victory for the Broncs.
 
Quotes & Notes
"Today was a good day. We had 10 hits, three strikeouts, and put the ball in play. That adds up over the course of a game, over the course of a series."
 
"All seven runs came with two outs, that shows some grit at the plate. Barbiere and Skettini really came through, giving us the lead in the seventh."
 
"Our bullpen did a really good job today. Five innings and just one run allowed. You always question the timing of taking guys out, but I thought Smith and DelGuercio did exactly what we needed out of them." – Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis
 
- Joe Papeo (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) got the start for the Broncs, allowing five runs on nine hits. He struck out one without issuing a free pass.
- Kyle Smith (Stratford, NJ/Sterling) followed with 2.1 perfect innings facing just six batters to get the seven outs, including a double play ball when he first entered. He struck out one.
- Frank DelGuercio (Millstone, NJ/The Hun School of Princeton) recorded all three of the outs he got via the punch out. He allowed a walk for the lone runner against him, earning the victory.
- Danny Kirwin (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) followed with 0.2 innings, allowing a run on three hits and striking out one.
- Cal Stalzer (West Des Moines, IA/Valley[Kirkwood CC/George Washington]) tossed the final inning for the Broncs, getting out of the jam in the ninth to earn his eighth save of the season.
- Rider improves to 20-0 this season when scoring six or more runs.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Six Broncs recorded hits in the game, with Bardatsos, Barbiere, Skettini, and Alex Diamantis (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's Boys) each recording a pair.
- Each of the five Bronc pitchers recorded at least one strike out in the game.
- Lesch has a hit in six-straight games.
- Lesch's home run is his ninth of the season.
- Bardatsos' home run is his fifth of the year.
 
Up Next
- The Broncs and Canisius have an early wake-up call with game two starting Saturday at 9 a.m.