DURHAM, NC– The Rider University baseball team fell in their second match-up of the midweek vs #6 Duke 18-4 on Wednesday evening. With the loss, Rider moves to 2-10, and the Blue Devils move to 14-3.
The Broncs and Blue Devils scored most of the game's runs in the first inning as the Broncs drove in four runs to start the ball game.
Anthony Paskell (Solon, OH/Saint Ignatius) started off the offense with a one-out base hit and
Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/ Ridgewood) added to a strong week by driving in Paskell with a double to score his sixth RBI of the year.
Luke Lesch (Gloucester Twp., NJ/Gloucester Catholic) continued his hot streak moving his on-base streak to a team-best 12 games with his fourth double in the last three games to bring in Skettini.
Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) brought across the third run of the inning with a base hit the other way to right field scoring Lesch, extending his RBI streak to four games. The Broncs would add a fourth run courtesy of a Duke error.
In the bottom of the frame, however, the Blue Devils exploded for 10 runs to answer the hot start from the Broncs with one of their own. After a two-run homer from Alex Stone, the Broncs would turn
Chris Montone (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) to finish the third and was strong in two innings in relief allowing only one hit and no earned runs.
The Blue Devils wrapped things up by driving in five runs in the eighth to secure the victory 18-4.
Bronc Notes
"We didn't give ourselves a chance from the first inning, we gave up 10 in the first inning made it tough to get back in the game. I like the way we started with four runs as well as how we pitched through the middle innings, Montone and Gallagher were more than solid. We'll take the split and head home. St. John's is as good as anyone we've played so we have another tough series ahead." –
Rider Baseball Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis
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Gavin Hawkes (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) got the loss allowing four runs on three hits.
Broncs by the Numbers
- Rider had six hits as Paskell, Lesch, Winsett, Skettini, and
Erich Hartmann (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) each had hits in the contest.
- Lesch moved his on-base streak to 12 games and his hit streak to 6 games.
- Skettini has now scored in six straight.
- Winsett has driven in a run in four straight games
Up Next
The Broncs travel to St John's to battle the Red Storm on Friday at 3:00 PM
