<strong>POMONA, NY –</strong> The Rider University baseball team began its defense of the MAAC Championship in grand style Wednesday afternoon, defeating Monmouth 5-1. The fifth-seeded Broncs improve to 26-24 on the season, while the fourth-seeded Hawks drop to 24-26.<br />  <br /> Both starters were dealing through three. Monmouth starter Rob Hensey and Rider starter Joe Papeo (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) matched each other with four strikeouts through three scoreless frames.<br />  <br /> In the top of the fourth, Rider broke through. John Volpe (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) became the first base runner of the day for the Broncs, singling through the left side with one out. After Socrates Bardatsos (Ridgefield, NJ/St. Joseph's Regional) walked, Luke Lesch (Gloucester Township, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) hit a chopper to first. The Monmouth first baseman made the throw to second, but it was errant and ended up in left field, allowing Volpe to score from second. Brendan O'Donnell (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) followed with a base hit that scored a run and kept runners on the corners. Two batters later, the Broncs attempted a double steal. The Hawks made the play at the plate to get Lesch, but after a lengthy discussion, a balk was called allowing Lesch to score and put the Broncs up 3-0.<br />  <br /> In the seventh, Monmouth got on the board with a monstrous home run to right center. After a double off the wall had the Hawks appearing to swing momentum, Monmouth got a two-out single to right. The Hawks sent the runner, but O'Donnell fired to the plate for the final out of the inning.<br />  <br /> The Broncs tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the ninth. O'Donnell led off the inning with a single to left. With one out, Jake Barbiere (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) hit a bomb to left center that cleared the fence to extend the lead to 5-1.<br />  <br /> The Hawks went down in order in the ninth to secure the victory for the Broncs.<br />  <br /> <strong>Quotes & Notes</strong><br /> - Papeo started for the Broncs, tossing an absolute gem, going six shutout innings, allowing just two hits and one walk, while striking out nine to earn the victory. The nine strikeouts ties a career-high.<br /> - Danny Kirwin (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) tossed the final three innings, allowing just the single run to earn the save. He allowed a total of three hits and struck out three.<br /> - Rider improves to 22-0 when leading after six innings.<br /> - With a walk in the top of the fourth, Bardatsos tied the Rider program record with 38 on the season.<br />  <br /> <strong>Broncs by the Numbers</strong><br /> - Four Broncs recorded hits in the game, led by two each from Volpe and O'Donnell.<br /> - Barbiere's home run is his fourth of the season.<br /> - O'Donnell had his team-high 17^th multi-hit game of the season.<br />  <br /> <strong>Up Next</strong><br /> - The Broncs advance to day two of the MAAC Tournament, where they will face Fairfield in a winner's bracket game at 11 a.m.<br />