PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA – The Rider University baseball team swept a double-header Saturday to earn a win of a three-game series at Villanova, winning 11-3 and 4-0. The Broncs improve to 13-6 on the season, while the Wildcats drop to 2-16.
 
John Volpe (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) led off game one with a double that dropped just inside the right-field foul pole. Three batters later, Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood) got just enough of a pitch to send it between the short stop and third baseman for a run-scoring single.
 
The score remained 1-0 into the fourth, when Brendan O'Donnell (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) turned on a breaking pitch, slicing it through the wind over the fence in left. Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) continued the inning with a single. Two batters later, Anthony Paskell (Solon, OH/Saint Ignatius) hit a single, then Volpe drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Scott Shaw (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) made the Wildcats pay with a shot over the right field fence for a grand slam, making it 6-0.
 
In the fifth, Luke Lesch (Gloucester Twp., NJ/Gloucester Catholic) opened the inning with a single. After Winsett and Jordan Erbe (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South[UMass]) walked, scoring a run and putting runners on the corners, Volpe delivered a two-out single that scored a run to make it 8-0.
 
Villanova got a run in the bottom of the fifth to break up the Rider shutout, but Rider would respond again. Socrates Bardatsos (Ridgefield, NJ/St. Joseph's Regional) led off the sixth with a walk. Two batters later, Lesch bombed a home run to right, extending the advantage to 10-1.
 
After the Wildcats plated two in the bottom of the sixth, Shaw hit a one-out single in the seventh. After advancing to second on an error and third on a wild pitch, Bardatsos hit a deep enough fly ball to center, scoring Shaw to produce the final score.
 
Game two was a pitcher's duel with Rider pitching out of trouble multiple times, while the Broncs were set down in order through the first three innings. In the top of the fourth, Shaw hit a fly ball to right that kept carrying until it went out of the park to put Rider up 1-0.
 
In the fifth, Lesch led off the inning with a walk before O'Donnell sent a pitch 415 feet over the fence in center to extend the lead to 3-0.
 
The score remained 3-0 into the ninth, when Skettini led off the inning getting hit by a pitch. Lesch followed with a chopper that deflected off the second baseman's glove and into right field allowing Skettini to move up to third and later score on a wild pitch.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Quotes & Notes
"It's always good to win. Frank was strong today, and Scott's home run really gave us some separation. We got the runs we needed, wasn't exactly ideal, because we coasted a little bit with the big lead."
 
"Game two was well pitched. Brian did a good job. He's been struggling a bit this year, but he got us to Clayton, Clayton got us to Alec, and Alec finished it up. Home runs are the story today. From two through six you have a potential for a home run every at bat. It's a little different than what I'm used to, but I can adapt."
 
"Losing the way we did yesterday, and being able to bounce back is the sign of a good, veteran team. We showed that we had some resiliency and the goal is to keep winning series, and if you never lose two in a row on a consistent basis, you'll be where you need to be at the end of the year." – Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis
 
- Rider has won four of its five weekend series this season.
- Frank Doelling (Riverside, NJ/Riverside[Rowan College at Burlington County]) got the start in game one, allowing just one run on four hits in five innings. He struck out four to earn the win.
- Chris Montone (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) allowed two runs on just one hit out of the pen.
- Will Gallagher (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) tossed the final 1.2 innings of game one, without allowing a run. He gave up one hit and struck out one.
- Brian Young (Neptune, NJ/Communication) started game two, throwing five scoreless innings. He scattered six hits and struck out four to earn the win.
- Clayton Poliey (Ringwood, NJ/Don Bosco Prep) pitched 2.1 innings without allowing a run. He allowed two hits.
- Alec Sachais (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Holy Spirit) retired all five batters he faced, earning the save.
- Skettini has reached safely in all 19 games this season.
- Volpe's leadoff double in game one was his 100^th career hit.
- O'Donnell's home runs give him 27 for his career moving him past Ken Kramer for seventh on Rider's career list.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Eight different Broncs recorded hits on the day, led by four from Shaw.
- Eight Broncs scored, with Shaw and Lesch each crossing the plate three times.
- O'Donnell's home runs are his sixth and seventh of the season, and his sixth in the last seven games.
- Lesch's home run is his third of the year.
- Shaw home runs are his second and third of the season.
 
Up Next
The Broncs return to action Tuesday with a trip to in-state rival Rutgers. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.