LOUDONVILLE, NY – The Rider University baseball team split a series-opening double header with Siena on Friday, falling, 3-1, in game one before storming back to win game two, 7-2. The Broncs are now 21-9 overall and 6-2 in MAAC play, while the Saints are 5-26 overall and 1-4 in league play.
 
The Saints got on the board first in the second inning of game one with a seemingly innocent fly ball to left field that the wind carried over the fence for a solo home run that put Siena on top 1-0. Siena added a run in the third to make it 2-0.
 
In the fourth, Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood) hit a ball into the wind for a solo home run of his own, trimming the deficit to 2-1.
 
The Saints added a run in the seventh and kept the Rider bats at bay, holding the Broncs to a total of just five hits in game one.
 
Rider came out of the gate strong in game two. John Volpe (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) led off the game with a single, then Scott Shaw (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) reached on an infield single. After Luke Lesch (Gloucester Twp., NJ/Gloucester Catholic) walked to load the bases, Brendan O'Donnell (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) delivered a two-run single. Socrates Bardatsos (Ridgefield, NJ/St. Joseph's Regional) then reached on an error that allowed Lesch to score. O'Donnell would later score on a ground out to make it 4-0 before the Saints had a chance to bat.
 
The Saints manufactured a run in the bottom of the second, scoring on a suicide squeeze.
 
The score remained 4-1 into the eighth. Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) and Richie Sica (Wycoff, NJ/Ramapo) hit back-to-back infield singles to start the inning. AJ Labrusciano (Fredericksburg, VA/North Stafford) then drew a walk to load the bases. Volpe would deliver with a two-run single back up the middle. Two batters later, Skettini hit a high pop up that got pushed around by the wind, falling to allow Labrusciano to score and make it 7-1.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, the Saints scored one and had the bases loaded with one out. The Broncs turned to Danny Kirwin (Lansdale, PA/North Penn), who got back-to-back strikeouts to end the rally.
 
Quotes & Notes
"We were not at our best today in either game. The pitching was solid. You give up three runs and two runs, you should win two games, especially with our team, but give Siena credit."

"We need to be ready to go tomorrow. It's a very important game." - Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis

- Dylan Heine (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield) got the start in game one, going 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits. He struck out four, but took his first loss of the season earn the win.
- Clayton Poliey (Ringwood, NJ/Don Bosco Prep) tossed the final 1.2 innings in game one. He allowed no runs on two hits and struck out two.
- Frank Doelling (Riverside, NJ/Riverside[Rowan College at Burlington]) started game two, throwing seven innings, allowing one run on seven hits. He struck out five and earned the win.
- Gavin Hawkes (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) tossed 0.1 innings, allowing a run for the first time this season. He allowed three hits.
- Kirwin tossed the final 1.2 innings, striking out all five batters he faced. He earned his MAAC-leading seventh save of the season.
- Skettini extended his reached base streak to 31 games, including the final two of 2022, before it was snapped in game two of the double header.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Eight different Broncs recorded hits on the day, led by four from Volpe.
- Skettini led the Broncs, scoring twice on the day. He was one of seven Broncs to score.
- Skettini's home run is his third of the season, and eighth of his career.
 
Up Next
The Broncs return to action Saturday, when the Broncs and Saints wrap up the three-game series at noon.