May 22nd-26th, 2024.
MAAC Baseball Championships
Rider Broncs (27-21, 18-6 MAAC)
Location: Pomona, NY Clover Stadium
Live Video – ESPN+ | Wednesday
Twitter – Twitter.com/RiderUBaseball
Tournament Homepage – MAACSports.com
Tickets – MAACSports.com
What You Need To Know
- The Rider University Baseball team looks to start their road to repeating as MAAC champions Wednesday morning vs Marist
About the Broncs
- Rider returns four offensive starters from a season ago, led by 2023 2nd Team All-MAAC selection Brian Skettini (Midland Park, NJ/Ridgewood) who hit a team-high .313 last season with 67 hits, 46 runs, and 49 RBIs.The Broncs also return a pair of stellar performers from their impressive run to the Conway regional as NCAA Tournament All-Conway Regional Team selection Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern) and Right Fielder Erich Hartmann (Medford, NJ/ Shawnee) both return after strong seasons in '23. The final returner offensively is 2023 MAAC All-Tournament Team selection Luke Lesch (Gloucester, NJ/ Gloucester Catholic) who started 57 games a year ago while also having 18 multi-hit games, including three multi-hit games and a pair of home runs in the MAAC Tournament.
- The Broncs pitching staff is highlighted by Junior LHP Brian Young (Neptune, NJ/Communication). Young was stellar down the stretch as in his final three starts he went 19.2 innings with 14 strikeouts and a 1.41 ERA, including 7.1 innings and four strikeouts vs Fairfield in the MAAC Tournament being named to the MAAC All-Tournament Team. Rider will also see a combination of young arms see action including Sophomores PJ Craig (Barnegat, NJ/ Barnegat), Clayton Poliey (Ringwood, NJ/Don Bosco Prep), Gavin Hawkes (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury), Christian Aiello (Hewitt, NJ/West Milford), and Freshman Jake Dorety (Burlington, NJ/Burlington TWP).
- Rider ranks 7th the country with a .982 fielding percentage.
- Winsett leads the MAAC in walks with 54 on the season, which also ranks 10th in the country.
- Poliey sits third in the MAAC with an ERA of 4.40..
Back in the MAAC
- The Rider University baseball team earned a single first-place vote and was selected fourth ahead of the 2024 season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Young was the lone Bronc to earn Preseason All-MAAC Team honors.
- Rider is coming off one of their best seasons in program history. Rider played in a regional for the 15th time in program history, and Rider's 36 wins matched the 2010 team for most wins in program history.
- Rider finished third in the MAAC with an 18-6 record, finishing two games behind Fairfield and Niagara who both finished with a 20-4 MAAC record
- Rider also won their fourth MAAC Championship, all under Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis, and reached their ninth appearance in the MAAC Championship Game.
MAAC Honors
- Craig was named to the first-team All-MAAC after leading the Broncs with a 7-3 record on the year. Craig's seven wins led the team and ranked second in the MAAC as the South Jersey native also led the Broncs in innings pitched, and starts. Craig also ranked second on the team in strikeouts and ERA.
- Joe Tiroly (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) was named to the second-team All-MAAC following a sensational rookie campaign. Tiroly finished the year tied for the team lead with nine HRs while also ranking third on the team in RBIs.
- Young was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday 3/26/24 following a pair of strong showings in Rider's series sweep over Quinnipiac.
- Redshirt freshman outfielder Kyle Neri (Williamstown, N.J./St. Augustine Prep|Bryant) was named MAAC Rookie of the Week on Tuesday 4/23/24. Neri was huge for the Broncs in the four matchups on the week batting .429 with a a pair of homers and six RBIs on the week. Neri started his week with a massive outing vs local foe Princeton where the first-year Bronc would finish a triple shy of the cycle in a 3-for-5 outing with a career-high five RBIs on the day. Neri brought that success into the weekend series vs Maine batting .333 on the set with an on-base percentage of .571 vs the Black Bears being walked five times on the three-game series. Neri joined Tiroly on the MAAC All-Rookie team.
- Poliey was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Pitcher of the Week the league office announced on 5/7/24. For Poliey it is his second MAAC weekly honor of the season. Poliey was excellent in Rider's game three win over Mount St Mary's holding The Mount scoreless through his six and two third innings pitched.
Young Broncs
- Rider has seen three first-year players make massive impacts with Neri, Tiroly, and Matt Leahy (Woolwich, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) all contributing big.
- Neri is currently tied for the team lead in home runs with six.
- Tiroly and Leahy have been mainstays in the middle infield with the duo starting 35 games together on the season. Leahy currently sits fourth on the team with a .283 average and Tiroly has brought some massive pop to the order with five home runs and 30 RBIs.
Last Time Out
-The Rider University Baseball team wrapped up their 2024 regular season by splitting Friday's MAAC doubleheader vs Manhattan. The Broncs took the opening game 10-3 however, they dropped game two 12-6.
- Winsett moved his on-base streak to 20 games.
- Skettini hit his career-best ninth homer of the year in game one.
- Neri moved his hit streak to six games.
-Matt Shepherd (Drexel Hill, PA/Monsignor Bonner/Rowan College of South Jersey) tied a season-best outing with four RBIs in the contest in game two
Team Awards
- The Rider University baseball team held its annual awards banquet on Sunday with Skettini, Craig, and AJ Labrusciano (Fredericksburg, VA/North Stafford) all being honored.
- Skettini was honored as the Joe Plunkett Team MVP following a career-best 2024 regular season. Skettini currently leads the team in average (.327) and home runs (9), which are new career highs. Skettini's capped off the regular season with hits in 11 of his last 12 games while also driving in 16 RBIs with three homers down the stretch.
- Craig was excellent stepping into a new role as the top member of Rider's weekend rotation pitching 75 innings with a team-best 7-3 record on the year earning the Bob Kohler Pitcher of The Year Award. Craig wrapped up the regular season leading the team in innings pitched while ranking second on the team in strikeouts (52) and ERA (5.28). Craig's season was highlighted by a scoreless outing vs Niagara going seven innings with six strikeouts and only four hits allowed in the Broncs game one win over the Purple Eagles.
-Labrusciano was named the Peter F Daly Most Improved Player playing in 21 games in his sophomore campaign. Labrusciano was really strong in the final month of the season including a start at first base in the Broncs game three contest vs MAAC Co-Regular Season Champion Niagara. Labrusciano went a career-best 3/5 with two RBIs in the finale vs Niagara. Labrusciano saw jumps in every statistical category from his freshman season including earning his first collegiate hit in a 2/4 outing vs USC-Upstate on March 10th.
About The Doc
- Returning for his 20th season is Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis. During his tenure, Davis has transformed the program into a consistent contender in the Metro-Atlantic Conference (MAAC), winning four conference tournament championships, two regular-season championships, and qualifying for twelve conference tournaments. Davis owns a 1053 –714 career record, picking up his 1000th win last season over Richmond on March 11.
- Last year, Rider won their fourth MAAC Championship, all under Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis, and reached their ninth appearance in the MAAC Championship Game.
