Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Rider University Athletics

Rider Broncs
The Official Website of Rider University Athletics
CRAIGlibertybell
3
SIENA SIE 5-21, 3-1 MAAC
10
Winner Rider RIDER 10-14, 7-0 MAAC
SIENA SIE
5-21, 3-1 MAAC
3
Final
10
Rider RIDER
10-14, 7-0 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
SIENA SIE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 8 3
Rider RIDER 0 0 0 0 3 3 4 0 X 10 8 0

W: Craig, PJ (2-2) L: Morin, Alistair (0-4)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Gary Erdelyi

Baseball Stays Hot With 10-3 Win Over Siena

Broncs move to 7-0 in the MAAC with series opening win

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ– The Rider University Baseball team extended their program-best start in MAAC play after taking down Siena 10-3 on Friday afternoon. With the win, Rider moves to 10-14 and 7-0 in the MAAC and Siena drops to 5-21 and 3-1 in MAAC play. 

In the early part of the ballgame, Rider was led by a stellar start from Pitcher PJ Craig (Barnegat, NJ/ Barnegat) who started the game by striking out the side in the first inning. Craig and the Rider defense also sat down the Saints in order in the third inning keeping the opposition scoreless through the first five innings. 

The Broncs' scoring started in the bottom of the fifth where the Broncs dialed up multiple solid at bats starting with Anthony Paskell (Solon, OH/Saint Ignatius) getting on with a leadoff walk. Paskell was brought in to score a moment later as Matt Shepherd (Drexel Hill,PA/Monsignor Bonner|RCSJ) singled to get the Broncs on the board in the fifth. Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood) helped the Broncs extend the lead when he reached on a fielding error by the first baseman bringing in Shepherd to extend the Rider lead to two. Capping off the strong inning was Justin Costanzo (East Greenwich, N.J./Gloucester Catholic|Widener) dropping a base hit to right field scoring Skettini to go ahead 3-0. 

In the sixth, the Broncs loaded the bases thanks to a pair of base hits from Paskell and Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/ Eastern Regional) and the Broncs brought both runners in as well as Shepherd thanks to an error and a pair of walks going ahead 6-0 after six. 

The seventh inning was the strongest for Rider plating four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Paskell added his second hit of the day with a double to left center scoring Erich Hartman (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) to kick off the four-run frame. Winsett drove in Paskell on a sacrifice fly to move the game to 8-0 in favor of the Cranberry and Black. The Bronc scoring rounded out with a two-run base hit from the Broncs cleanup hitter, Luke Lesch (Gloucester Township, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), driving in his 17th and 18th RBIs of the year to extend the Rider lead to double digits. 

In the top of the eighth Rider handed the ball to Gavin Hawkes (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) to close the game out. Hawkes secured the win for Rider pitching an inning and a third striking out a pair of Saints and allowed no runs to help the Broncs win 10-3.

Quotes and Notes
"He dialed the zone, struck out and eight and didn't walk anybody had a strong command of his pitches straight from the get-go, and when you have that it's a good sign. We count on him to go deep in the game and he was outstanding, and the defense was strong behind him with Winsett making a few great plays too" – Rider Baseball Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis 
  • Craig got the win going a career-best 7.2 innings allowing three earned runs and striking out career-high eight batters. 
  • Hawkes went 1.1 innings with two strikeouts.

Broncs by the Numbers
 - Rider had eight hits on the day with Shepherd, Winsett, Skettini, Costanzo, and Paskell all recording a hit. 
- Skettini moved his hit streak to eight games while also recording three RBIs in the win. 
- Winsett also extended his hit streak to eight games. 
- Lesch has now reached in all 24 games played this year. 
- Costanzo moved his on-base streak to 17 games.

Up Next
The Broncs continue their series vs Siena tomorrow April 6th at 1:00 PM.
Print Friendly Version