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Baseball Gary Erdelyi

Baseball Rounds Out Home Slate vs Iona

Broncs honor graduating class on Sunday afternoon

May 10th-12th, 2024 at 3:00 p.m./1:00 p.m/12:00 p.m.
Rider Broncs (22-20, 13-5 MAAC) vs. Iona Gaels (11-33, 5-13 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ (Sonny Pittaro Field)
Live Stats:– GoBroncs.com
Twitter: @RiderUBaseball

What You Need To Know
- The Rider Broncs wrap up their home slate as they host the Iona Gaels 

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 13th the country with a .980 fielding percentage.
- Lesch currently leads the MAAC in doubles with 13.
- Winsett leads the MAAC in walks with 47 on the season, which also ranks 14th in the country. 
- Poliey sits fourth in the MAAC with a ERA of 3.81.

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 currently sits third in the MAAC with a 13-5 record. Rider also sits three games out of the top spot in the conference behind Fairfield and Niagara who both hold a 16-2 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
- 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.
- 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 on Saturday afternoon. For Poliey it was his best conference start of the year finishing with a line of six and two third innings pitched, with seven strikeouts, and only three hits allowed in the contest vs the Mount. After Sunday's stellar start, Poliey ranks fourth in the MAAC with a 3.81 ERA. 

Home Cooking
- Rider currently holds a 9-2 mark at "The Pitt" in 2024.
- At home Rider is batting a combined .297 outscoring opponents 89-53.
- Rider is averaging 8.1 runs per game at home this season.

Young Broncs
- Rider has seen three first-year players make massive impacts with Neri, Joe Tiroly (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury), 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 scored eight runs in the final two innings, capping off their series vs. Mount St Mary's with an 8-3 win on Saturday afternoon. With the win, Rider moves to 22-20 on the year and 13-5 in the MAAC
-Rider was led by a stellar start from sophomore Clayton Poliey who went six and two-thirds scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, allowing on four hits on the day. He was named MAAC Pitcher of the Week.
- Rider had seven hits in the series finale with Lesch, Hartmann, Richie Sica (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo), Leahy, and Joe Tiroly all getting a hit on the day.
- Tiroly and Winsett moved their on-base streaks to 14 straight.
- Lesch homered in back-to-back games.
- Lesch moved his on-base streak to 41 straight games and his hit streak to nine straight. 

History vs Iona
- Rider holds a 46-24 lead in the all time series dating back to 1960
- Rider took two of the three games last year in New Rochelle and have won back-to-back series vs the Gaels

About Iona
-  The Iona University baseball team concluded the non-conference portion of its 2024 schedule on Wednesday evening, falling 10-5 to Yale at George H.W. Bush '48 Field.
- Anthony Zollo collected his 100th career hit with a leadoff single in the fifth inning. Freshman Carter Groen led the Maroon & Gold with three hits against the Bulldogs. Graduate student Jim Pasquale, junior Anthony Febo and redshirt freshman Jordan Overton all drove in a run.
- Zollo becomes the third Gael to record 100 career hits in the last three games. He reached the mark in his 85th game with the Maroon & Gold.
-Groen registered his 12th multi-hit game and third three-hit showing of the year. His ninth inning double was his team-leading 12th double of the season.
-Pasquale tallied his fourth double in the last five games and 24th RBI on the year
- Joseph Ragsdale leads Iona with a .381 average which ranks 5th in the MAAC. Ragsdale also leads the Gaels with seven homers and 32 RBIs. 

Senior Day
- Prior to the start of Sunday's matchup, the Broncs will honor three members of their graduating class—Lesch, Winsett, and Skettini—with a special pre-game ceremony.

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 1048 –713  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.

Projected Starters
-Game One
RID-RHP PJ Craig (Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat) 5.86 ERA 5-3 REC
IONA- RHP Michael Lorenzetti 9.34 ERA 0-4 REC

-Game Two
RID-LHP Brian Young (Neptune, NJ/Communication) 7.16 ERA 5-5 REC
IONA- RHP Andrelys Payamps 6.47 ERA 4-4 REC

-Game Three
RID-RHP Clayton Poliey (Ringwood, NJ/Don Bosco) 3.81 ERA 3-3 REC
IONA- RHP Brendan Callanan 5.31 ERA 0-4 REC
 
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Players Mentioned

Christian Aiello

#34 Christian Aiello

P
5' 11"
Sophomore
L
PJ Craig

#21 PJ Craig

P
6' 4"
Sophomore
R
Erich Hartmann

#3 Erich Hartmann

OF
6' 1"
Sophomore
L
Gavin Hawkes

#32 Gavin Hawkes

P
5' 10"
Sophomore
R
Luke Lesch

#99 Luke Lesch

1B/3B
6' 5"
Graduate Student
L
Clayton Poliey

#14 Clayton Poliey

P
6' 0"
Sophomore
R
Richie Sica

#8 Richie Sica

OF
6' 1"
Junior
R
Brian Skettini

#17 Brian Skettini

C/1B/3B
5' 10"
Senior
R
Jack Winsett

#15 Jack Winsett

INF
6' 2"
Graduate Student
L
Brian Young

#6 Brian Young

P
6' 0"
Junior
L
Matt Leahy

#2 Matt Leahy

INF
5' 10"
Freshman
R/R
Joe Tiroly

#5 Joe Tiroly

INF
6' 0"
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Christian Aiello

#34 Christian Aiello

5' 11"
Sophomore
L
P
PJ Craig

#21 PJ Craig

6' 4"
Sophomore
R
P
Erich Hartmann

#3 Erich Hartmann

6' 1"
Sophomore
L
OF
Gavin Hawkes

#32 Gavin Hawkes

5' 10"
Sophomore
R
P
Luke Lesch

#99 Luke Lesch

6' 5"
Graduate Student
L
1B/3B
Clayton Poliey

#14 Clayton Poliey

6' 0"
Sophomore
R
P
Richie Sica

#8 Richie Sica

6' 1"
Junior
R
OF
Brian Skettini

#17 Brian Skettini

5' 10"
Senior
R
C/1B/3B
Jack Winsett

#15 Jack Winsett

6' 2"
Graduate Student
L
INF
Brian Young

#6 Brian Young

6' 0"
Junior
L
P
Matt Leahy

#2 Matt Leahy

5' 10"
Freshman
R/R
INF
Joe Tiroly

#5 Joe Tiroly

6' 0"
Freshman
R/R
INF