LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University baseball team won its opening round game in the Liberty Bell Classic Tuesday, defeating Delaware State, 5-1. The Broncs improve to 16-8 with the win, while the Hornets fall to 6-16.
 
Both offenses were quiet early before the Hornets hit a fly ball that carried over the fence in right to give Delaware State a 1-0 lead.
 
The Broncs responded in the fifth. With two outs, John Volpe (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) reached on an error. Scott Shaw (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) then singled and Socrates Bardatsos (Ridgefield, NJ/St. Joseph's Regional) walked to load the bases. Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood) drove in a pair with a single to left and Luke Lesch (Gloucester Twp., NJ/Gloucester Catholic) hit a double down the right field line that made it 3-1.
 
Rider added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth. Erich Hartmann (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) led off the inning with a pinch-hit single. Two batters later, Brendan O'Donnell (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) and Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. After a run came in on an RBI groundout by Anthony Paskell (Solon, OH/Saint Ignatius), O'Donnell crossed the plate via a wild pitch, making it 5-1.
 
Quotes & Notes
"In the midweeks, our pitching's been good for the most part. To be a championship team, we need the offense to play all the games. We did get the win, so we're happy about that, and we get some nice weather the next couple of days so we can get out and practice."
 
"We only gave up three hits, but we had four walks. We got to cut the walks down. Craig struggled a little but early, but he battled back. He rebounded, he regrouped, and made the pitches. Hawkes and Aiello did a good job out of the pen, and those two runs really took away the pressure in the ninth." – Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis
 
- PJ Craig (Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat) got the start for the Broncs, going five innings and allowing one run on three hits. He struck out two to earn the win.
- Gavin Hawkes (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) was first out of the pen, throwing two no-hit innings. He struck out one.
- Christian Aiello (Hewitt, NJ/West Milford) fired the final two innings without allowing a hit. He struck out two to earn his first career save.
- Skettini has reached safely in all 24 games this season.
- The game was the opening round of the Liberty Bell Classic. With the win, the Broncs advance to the semifinals and will play at Villanova next week for the right to play in the final at Citizens Bank Park.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Six different Broncs recorded hits on the day, led by two from O'Donnell.
- Five separate Broncs scored for Rider.
- Rider drew six walks at the plate in the game.
 
Up Next
The Broncs return to action Friday, when the Broncs return to conference play at Sonny Pittaro Field against Niagara. First pitch is at 3 p.m.