EMMITSBURG, MD- The Rider University baseball team dropped both games of the doubleheader vs Mount St Mary's on Friday afternoon. Rider dropped Game 1, 5-3, and Game 2, 11-10, falling to 21-20 on the year and 12-5 in the MAAC. The Mount moves to 15-29-1 and 9-8 in the MAAC.

In Game 1, Rider started the scoring as Jack Winsett (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern) started the day with a base hit and was driven in to score off a double from Matt Shepherd (Drexel Hill,PA/Monsignor Bonner|Rowan College of South Jersey) to go up 1-0 after one. 

In the bottom of the second, the Mount started their scoring with a solo home run, tying the game at 1-1. The Broncs did find the answer quickly, however, as in the third, Rider brought home a pair of runs starting with Winsett scoring on a groundout to give Rider the lead back. Later in the inning, Joe Tiroly (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) added another RBI to his impressive freshman campaign, bringing Shepherd in on a base hit, giving Rider a 3-1 lead.

Rider starter PJ Craig helped limit the Mount's damage for a majority of the ball game holding the Mount scoreless for three of his final four innings in his seven-inning outing. However, in the eighth, the Mountaineers took the lead off a three-run homer run that would ultimately seal the win for the Mount in Game 1. 

In Game 2, the Mount kicked things off with a massive four-run opening frame going ahead early. The Broncs got themselves back into the game with the long ball as Luke Lesch (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) drove a pair of runs in with his third home run of the year, cutting the lead to two. 

In the top of the fourth, Richie Sica (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) followed Lesch's footsteps with a two-run home run of his own, tying the game at 4-4. But the Mount again put together a massive inning, driving in four more in the bottom of the fourth.The Mount also added three more runs in the following inning to go ahead, 11-5.

Rider had a very strong end to the day after giving up back-to-back multi-run innings, scoring in four of the final five frames. The Broncs' comeback effort started in the sixth where Rider went on to load the bases and Lesch scored Shepherd with a walk.

The seventh inning was Rider's best late-inning as a lead-off walk from Kyle Neri (Williamstown, N.J./St. Augustine Prep|Bryant) and a double from Erich Hartmann (Medford, NJ Shawnee) gave the Broncs a stellar start to a productive inning. Justin Costanzo (East Greenwich, N.J./Gloucester Catholic|Widener) hit into a sacrifice fly, scoring Neri from third and starting the inning's scoring. Matt Leahy (Woolwich, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) drove in the final run of the seventh on a base hit to left scoring Hartmann and cutting the lead to three. 

In the eighth, Rider again brought home a pair of runs as Hartmann came up big driving in Shepher and Tiroly cutting the lead to only one going into the final inning. However, in the ninth, the Broncs' comeback came up just short, falling 11-10 in the day's final game.

 Quotes and Notes 
"It was just a tough day. I'll take responsibility for today. I've got to be better." - Rider Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis 

- PJ Craig (Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat) and Brian Young (Neptune, NJ/Communication) received the losses in the doubleheader.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Shepherd recorded two multi-hit games on the doubleheader going a combined 4/6 with four runs scored and a RBI.
- Lesch and Sica both homered in game two, Lesch hit his third of the season while Sica hit his first of his career.
- Lesch has now reached in 40 straight games. 

Up Next
The Broncs continue the series vs Mount St Mary's on Sunday, May 5th at 1 PM