LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University baseball team defeated Saint Peter's, 12-5, in the regular season finale Sunday. The Broncs will enter the MAAC Tournament at 30-17 on the season, and 22-8 in MAAC play, while the Peacocks close out the year 5-47 overall and 1-29 in league play.
The Peacocks got on the board first in the top of the third, scoring a pair on a two-run homer to open the scoring. Rider immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning.
AJ Labrusciano (Fredericksburg, VA/North Stafford) was hit by a pitch to start the frame, then
Christian Bermudez (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) drew a walk. Three batters later,
Anthony Paskell (Solon, OH/Saint Ignatius) was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Broncs then took advantage of a pair of errors on the following play, allowing all three runners to race around the bases and give the Broncs the lead. The inning continued with
Will Gallagher (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) being hit by a pitch, then
Dillon Jennings (Cedar Grove, NJ/Bloomfield[Frederick Community College]) ripped a double that dropped in just inside the left field line to push the lead to 5-2. The Peacocks scored a pair in the bottom of the fourth to trim the deficit to 5-4.
In the bottom of the fourth, Elliott Medlock (Merrimack, NH/Merrimack[Bryant]) drew a one-out walk, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two away,
Kyle Neri (Williamstown, NJ/St. Augustine Prep[Bryant]) singled to drive in Medlock and push the lead to 6-4. The Broncs then broke the game open in the fifth. Gallagher drew a one-out walk, then Demitri Bardatsos (Ridgefield, NJ/Ridgefield Memorial) was hit by a pitch.
Nick Shuhet (Mountain Lakes, NJ/Mountain Lakes) followed with a pinch-hit two-run double. The inning continued with a Peacock error before Medlock doubled to drive in a run, and with two away, Neri drove in a pair with a double to give Rider an 11-4 lead. The Peacocks scored an unearned run in the sixth, but in the bottom half,
Charley Magoulick (Arnold, MD/Dematha) and Shuhet both singled to help the Broncs get the run back before both staffs kept the offenses off the board across the final three innings.
Quotes & Notes
"It was a positive today, and it was good to get everyone in. It was good to have everyone play a little bit, and not having the pressure of the result mattering in the standings allowed us to do that well today. And winning today on top of that really gives you confidence going into the tournament. Saint Peter's was a tough opponent all week, and gave us a really competitive series."
– Acting Head Coach Barry Davis
"Getting the win, and sweeping the series gives us that confidence, but also seeing everyone get into the game, and knowing that everyone on the team is capable is going to help us in the tournament. Senior Day just makes you grateful for everything, it cools the nerves knowing you have all those people out here behind you that you don't always see every game."
– Senior Outfielder Kyle Neri
- Prior to the game, the team honored its outgoing senior class of Gallagher,
Erich Hartmann (Medford, NJ/Shawnee), Labrusciano, Neri,
Clayton Poliey (Ringwood, NJ/Don Bosco Prep),
Chris Montone (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown),
PJ Craig (Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat), Paskell,
Gavin Alloway (National Park, NJ/Gateway Regional),
Lucas Garton (Vineland, NJ/Vineland), Bermudez,
Gavin Hawkes (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury),
Christian Aiello (Hewitt, NJ/West Milford),
Jared Greenzang (Titusville, NJ/Hopewell Valley), and
Jack McFadden (Endwell, NY/Maine-Endwell).
- Poliey got the start on the mound, going 3.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits, and striking out five.
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Dylan Kane (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) got a strike out in a scoreless third of an inning out of the pen.
- Greezang followed out of the pen with a scoreless frame.
- Garton threw 0.2 innings, allowing an unearned run, while striking out two.
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Jack Ruditzky (Teaneck, NJ/The Frisch School[Ithaca]) threw a scoreless 0.1 inning, getting a strike out.
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Alex D'Ambrosio (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro[Seton Hall]) earned the win, tossing a perfect frame and striking out two.
- Montone threw a perfect inning out of the pen.
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Frank Papeo (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) threw a scoreless ninth, striking out one to secure the win.
- Shuhet recorded his 100
th career RBI in the contest.
Broncs By The Numbers
- Seven Broncs recorded a hit in the contest, led by Neri and Shuhet, who both had two hits and three RBIs.
- Medlock,
Griffin Puvel (Thurmont, MD/Saint John's Catholic Prep), Paskell, Magoulick, and Jennings each had a hit in the contest.
- Medlock, Gallagher, and Labrusciano all scored twice in the game.
Up Next
The Broncs have earned the number one seed in next week's MAAC Tournament and will play their first game Thursday at 11 a.m.
