LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider baseball team used a late offensive surge to secure a 12-7 win over Siena and complete the series sweep on Sunday afternoon on Sonny Pittaro Field. The Broncs improve to 9-5 (5-1 MAAC) while Siena falls the 6-11 (2-4 MAAC). 

Erich Hartmann gave the Broncs an early spark, launching a solo home run over the right-field wall in the opening inning to put Rider in front, 1-0.

Rider doubled its lead in the second when Matt Leahy drove in a run to make it 2-0.

Siena threatened in the third, placing runners on the corners with one out, but the Broncs escaped the jam with a 5-4-3 double play to keep the Saints off the board.

The Saints broke through in the sixth with a run to trim the deficit to 2-1, but Rider responded with a big inning in the bottom half.

Anthony Paskell opened the frame with a walk, and Nick Shuhet later drew a free pass to put two runners aboard. After a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, Matt Leahy lifted a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3-1. Siena again found itself in trouble moments later as a wild pitch and walk reloaded the bases. With a full count, Will Gallagher delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon, blasting a grand slam over the left-field wall to push the Rider lead to 7-1.

Siena battled back in the eighth, erupting for six runs to tie the game at 7-7.

The Broncs answered immediately in the bottom half. Pinch hitter Austin Cannon sparked the rally with a single down the right-field line before Gallagher followed with a base hit to put runners on the corners. Hartmann delivered an RBI single to plate Cannon and regain the lead. Kyle Neri then singled to load the bases, prompting a Siena pitching change. Rider capitalized on a series of Saints miscues, plating four additional runs in the inning to extend the lead to 12-7.

The Broncs closed it out from there to secure the series sweep.

Quotes & Notes
"First and foremost, it's always important to win the game. I thought Poly did a good job. He scattered some hits and maybe wasn't at his sharpest, but he was good enough and left the game with the lead. We had the big inning and the big hit by Will, and that really gave us some separation.

Our bullpen has to do a better job, but at the end of the day the objective is to win the ballgame, and we did that. We completed the series sweep and there are still lessons to take from it. The game is never over, you have to keep throwing strikes, pound the zone, and stay focused no matter what the score is.

You don't really learn much when everything goes perfectly; you learn when you make mistakes. We made a few today, but I'll give our offense a lot of credit. We strung together good at-bats, put the ball in play, and applied pressure. We made them have to make plays, and at times they didn't. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the result." – Acting Head Coach Dr. Barry Davis

- Christian Aiello earned the win, improving to 3-1 on the season.
- Hartmann hit his second home run of the year, while Gallagher connected for his first homer of the season.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Rider totaled 10 hits in the victory.
- Will Gallagher, Erich Hartmann, and Anthony Paskell each recorded two hits.
- Neri, Eliot Medlock, Leahy, and Cannon each added a hit.
- Gallagher led the Broncs with four RBIs, highlighted by his grand slam.
- Hartmann and Leahy each drove in two runs, while Paskell and Charley Magoulick added one RBI apiece.
- Clayton Poliey made the start, tossing 5.0 innings while allowing one run and striking out two.
- Conner Flynn provided 2.0 innings of relief, allowing one hit and no runs while striking out one.
- Alex D'Ambrosio worked 0.2 innings in relief.
- Christian Aiello pitched 0.2 innings to earn the win.
- Jake Dorety closed the game with a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action on March 20, traveling to Maryland to face Mount St. Mary's in a weekend MAAC series.
First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.