NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Rider baseball team kicked off their third conference series against Iona with a tight 2-1 victory in Friday afternoon's opener.

Pitchers Eric Gialloreto and Brian Young delivered strong performances, limiting the game to just three total runs and keeping scoring opportunities scarce.

The Gaels struck first in the bottom of the second when Sean Stephenson drove in a run with a single, putting Iona ahead 1-0.

Rider responded in the third inning with what proved to be their biggest offensive moment of the game. Joe Tiroly ignited the rally with a triple to right-center field, bringing in Erich Hartman to tie the score at 1-1. Kyle Neri, continuing his hot streak, followed up with an RBI single to drive in Tiroly and give the Broncs a 2-1 lead.

Offense remained quiet for Rider after that, as they went hitless until the eighth inning when Tiroly managed a single. However, the Broncs couldn't add insurance runs, as Tiroly was caught stealing at second base.

Zach Silfies took over for Young in the bottom of the eighth and shut down Iona's hopes of a comeback. He recorded two strikeouts in the final inning to secure the narrow victory for Rider.

Quotes and Notes
- Brian Young earned the victory, moving him to a perfect 4-0 in the 2025 season. 
- Rider moves to 7-3 in the MAAC with the win.

Broncs by the Numbers
- The Broncs recorded six hits in the victory with Kyle Neri and Nick Shuhet each earning a single hit. 
- Erich Hartmann and Joe Tiroly led the team with two hits each. 
- Tiroly and Neri each had an RBI in the win. 
- Brian Young pitched 7.2 innings, allowing eight hits, one earned run, and recorded five strikeouts. 
- Zach Silfies pitched 1.1 innings, allowing no hits, no runs, and racked up two strikeouts.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action tomorrow, March 29, to face Iona in the second game of the series.
First pitch is set for 1 pm.m