CULLOWHEE, NC – The Rider baseball team closed out their four-game series against Western Carolina on Sunday afternoon, securing a victory in the final game to split the series 2-2.

Trailing 3-0 in the top of the fourth, the Broncs found a spark from Will Gallagher, who drove in two runs to put Rider on the board.

On the mound, Clayton Poliey took care of business, quickly working through the bottom of the fourth.

In the fifth, Joe Tiroly doubled to get into scoring position, and Kyle Neri followed with a single up the middle to bring Tiroly home, tying the game at 3-3 with just one out.

Charley Magoulick kept the momentum rolling, launching his first career home run while also bringing in Neri, giving the Broncs a 5-3 lead.

Rider didn't let up in the sixth, as Tiroly crushed a three-run homer over the left field fence, extending the lead to 8-3.

Western Carolina responded with a run in the bottom of the inning but still trailed by five. The Catamounts continued to fight, adding two more runs in the seventh to cut Rider's lead to 9-6.

Tiroly struck again in the late innings, launching a solo home run to push the Broncs' lead back to three. Griffin Puvel then added insurance with a two-run hit, making it 12-6.

Western Carolina managed two more runs in the final frame but fell short, as Rider held on to secure the win.

Quotes and Notes
"I'm really proud of the way our guys responded today. After a tough split yesterday, we came out with great energy and battled in another back-and-forth game. Clayton Poliey set the tone on the mound, giving us exactly what we needed, and offensively, we had a big day—especially from Joe Tiroly, who stepped up in key moments. It was a great team win, and I'm proud of the way we competed to get the series split." – Rider Interim Head Coach Lee Lipinski
- Tiroly had two homeruns in the win.
- Magoulick recorded his first career home run for the Broncs.
- Clayton Poliey earned the win, pitching 5.1 innings, allowing four hits, four earned runs, and a season-high of six strikeouts. 

Broncs by the Numbers
- The Broncs had 17 hits in the victory, with AJ  Labrusciano, Hartmann, and Peter Crespo recording a single hit.
- Neri, Magoulick, Shuhet, Puvel, and Gallagher each had two hits in the win.
- Joe Tiroly led the Broncs with a season-high of four hits and 4 RBIs
- Shuhet and Neri each had an RBI.
- Magoulick, Gallagher, and Puvel each recorded 2 RBIs in the contest.
- Rider saw four pitchers in the game with Poliey, Jack Ruditzky, Gavin Hawkes, and Zach Silfies each entering the game.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action on Mar. 4 when they welcome Saint Joseph's in their 2025 home opener. 
First pitch is set for 2 p.m.