LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ- The Rider University baseball team shut out Niagara to secure their sixth straight win taking down the Purple Eagles 4-0 on Friday afternoon. With the win, Rider moves to 21-16 and 12-1 in the MAAC on the year, and Niagara 24-12 and 11-2 in the MAAC on the season.

The Broncs opened up the scoring in the bottom of the third when Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood) gave Rider their first hit of the day in the biggest of ways, rounding the bases with his seventh home run of the season to go up 1-0. 

Following the Skettini drive, Rider starter PJ Craig (Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat) was impressive, holding the Purple Eagles scoreless through his seven innings of work, including six strikeouts with one of them coming in a 1-2-3 top of the fourth for the Broncs. 

The Broncs offense helped Craig by adding a bit of insurance in the bottom of the fifth where Rider brought home a pair of runs. The inning's scoring started with Luke Lesch (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) hitting his MAAC best 14th double of the year, scoring Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern) to go ahead 2-0. Joe Tiroly (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) helped add the next run as he sent a chopper over to short where the Purple Eagles shortstop elected to fire home however a Purple Eagle error allowed Skettini to score safely, extending the lead to 3-0.

In the eighth, Rider brought in Christian Aiello (Hewitt, NJ/West Milford) who allowed one hit in the inning but rounded out the eighth with a pair of punch outs adding another scoreless frame defensively for Rider.

The Broncs brought in their final run in the bottom of the eighth. Following a two-out walk from Anthony Paskell (Solon, OH Saint Ignatius) and a bunt single from Matt Leahy (Woolwich, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), Paskell scored from second off a wild pitch to go up 4-0 into the ninth.

Aiello shut down the Purple Eagles in the ninth sitting the Niagara four, five, and six hitters down to earn his first save of the year and help Rider move to a MAAC best 12-1 in conference.

-" We've been playing great defense all year it showed up a couple of times today, PJ was good, I thought Aiello was great. I didn't think we were great offensively. We left runners on base, and we took third strikes with runners in scoring position, but we pitched and played defense and got the win. It's a good win and now tomorrow we have a chance to take the series." Rider Head Coach Dr Barry Davis 
 

- Craig got the win by going seven scoreless innings allowing four hits and earning six strikeouts. Craig moves to 5-2 on the year

- Aiello scores his first save of the year going two scoreless innings.
 

- Rider had six hits with Skettini, Lesch, Paskell, Leahy, and Kyle Neri (Williamstown, N.J./St. Augustine Prep|Bryant) all getting a hit on the day.

- Neri picked up his second triple of the year.

- Lesch has reached in all 37 games played this year. He also moves his hit streak to five games.

- Skettini moves his hit streak to five games.

The Broncs continue the series with Niagara tomorrow at 1 PM on ESPN+.