NEWARK, DE – The Rider University baseball team swept a double-header over Delaware Saturday, securing the series victory in the process. The Broncs took game one, 7-6, before winning the nightcap, 10-2. The Broncs improve to 7-3 on the season, while the Blue Hens fall to 3-7.
The Broncs opened the scoring early in game one.
John Volpe (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) led off the game with a double.
Scott Shaw (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) followed with a double that got over the center fielder's head, scoring Volpe.
The game remained 1-0 into the seventh.
Luke Lesch (Gloucester Township, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) opened the inning with a single up the middle. Lesch moved up 90 feet on a passed ball, then
Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood) reached on an error to put runners on second and third. Lesch came in to score on a ground out with Skettini scoring when
Erich Hartmann (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) reached on an error.
Rider continued to add on in the eighth.
Socrates Bardatsos (Ridgefield, NJ/St. Joseph's Regional) drew a leadoff walk.
Brendan O'Donnell (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) was then hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Skettini hit a double that scored one. After the Blue Hens intentionally walked
Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional),
Richie Sica (Wycoff, NJ/Ramapo) drew a walk to bring in a run, then
Jordan Erbe (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South [UMass]) hit a single to drive in one.
Delaware responded with four runs in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead to 6-4.
Rider tacked on a key insurance run in the top of the ninth. Lesch drew a two out walk, then moved up to third on a Skettini single, and scored on a Winsett single.
In the bottom of the ninth, scored two runs and had the bases loaded with one out, when the Broncs turned a game-ending double play.
Game two started as a pitchers' duel, with both sides kept off the board through the first three innings. In the top of the fourth, it was the Broncs breaking through first again. O'Donnell was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Skettini doubled to right center, scoring O'Donnell. With two outs, Sica hit a double to right, scoring Skettini and extending the lead to 2-0.
The Broncs broke the game open in the sixth. Skettini hit a one-out double to right. Winsett followed with an RBI-single to center. Sica then hit a single, and an Erbe walk loaded the bases. After a sacrifice fly by Volpe, Erbe stole second, and Shaw drove in two with a base hit to center.
The Blue Hens got a pair back in the bottom of the sixth and had the bases loaded, but the Broncs got a strikeout to end the inning and avoid any further damage.
Rider put the game away in the top of the seventh. O'Donnell drew a leadoff walk. Lesch then hit an infield single. With two outs,
Chase Fischer (Ringoes, NJ/Hunterdon Central) drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases. Erbe drove in a pair with a single to left, then another run came in on a Volpe double. Erbe then scored on a passed ball to make it 10-2.
Quotes & Notes
"We received superb starting pitching today from Heine and Doelling. We got clutch hits throughout both games. It was a good day overall."
– Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis
- The Broncs are now 4-0 in games played as part of a double-header this season.
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Dylan Heine (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield) got the start for the Broncs in game one, throwing 7.1 innings and allowing two runs on nine hits. He struck out four and did not walk a single batter.
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Christian Aiello (Hewitt, NJ/West Milford) came out of the pen, and allowed two runs on a hit and a walk.
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Danny Kirwin (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) threw the final 1.2 innings, allowing two runs, just one earned, and striking out one for his third save of the season.
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Frank Doelling (Riverside, NJ/Riverside[Rowan College at Burlington County]) started game two, pitching 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He tied a career high with 10 strikeouts.
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Clayton Poliey (Ringwood, NJ/Don Bosco Prep) came on the remaining 1.2 innings, allowing no runs on one hit. He struck out three.
Broncs by the Numbers
- Eight Broncs recorded 23 hits on the day, led by four from Skettini. Volpe, Shaw, Bardatsos, Winsett, and Erbe each had three.
- Skettini scored five runs across the two games.
Up Next
The Broncs remain in Delaware for the final game of the series on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
