LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ– The Rider University baseball team extended the second-longest win streak in the country to double digits while sweeping their third straight MAAC opponent by taking down Siena 6-1 on Sunday afternoon. With the win, Rider moves to 12-14 and 9-0 in the MAAC and Siena falls to 5-23 and 3-3 in conference.
The Broncs got in a bit of trouble to start the ball game as Siena loaded the bases in the first inning. However, Rider's starting pitcher
Clayton Poliey (Ringwood, NJ/Don Bosco Prep) found his way out of the early jam allowing only one run and leaving the bases loaded behind him to kick off the game.
The Broncs and Saints traded scoreless frames in the second and third but the Broncs' offense found its way in the fourth tallying three runs in the inning. The first two runs came from the Broncs' RBI leader
Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood), driving in his 20th and 21st RBIs of the year, giving Rider the lead.
Joe Tiroly (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) added the third run of the game for the Broncs with a backside single scoring Skettini to go ahead 3-1.
In the sixth,
Christian Coombes (Ontario, Canada/Parkside Collegiate Institute|Saint Peters) started his day out of the pen by retiring the Saints in order for the first of three scoreless innings from the Rider reliever.
In the seventh, Rider marked a second multi-run inning as
Matt Leahy (Woolwich, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) drove in a pair of runs on a base hit to centerfield giving Rider a 5-1 lead. The Broncs' scoring finished off with another young Bronc, as Tiroly again brought home Skettini to help the Broncs wrap things up.
Quotes and Notes
"It's hard to sweep a team, period. We pitched well, we only gave up five runs all series, it's good. I don't think today was our best game, it was one of those games where we were able to do enough"
– Rider Baseball Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis
Poliey got the win going five innings allowing one earned run with five strikeouts.
Coombes went three scoreless innings allowing only two base runners.
Colby McNeely (Milmont Park, PA/The Haverford School) went one scoreless inning.
Broncs by the Numbers
- Rider had 11 hits on the day with Skettini,
Luke Lesch (Gloucester Twp., NJ/Gloucester Catholic), Tiroly,
Anthony Paskell (Solon, OH/St. Ignatius),
Richie Sica (Wycoff, NJ/Ramapo), and Leahy all recording a hit.
- Skettini moved his hit streak to 10 games and on-base streak to 19.
- Lesch has now reached in all 26 games played this year.
Up Next
The Broncs continue Liberty Bell Classic action vs Lehigh on April 9th at 3:00 PM.
