Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
Lawrenceville, N.J. - Rider scored a pair of wins over the Long Island University baseball team in a non-conference doubleheader at Sonny Pittaro Field. The Blackbirds dropped a tight seven-inning contest, 3-2, to open the day before falling 10-4 in the nine-inning nightcap.
In the first game, Rider scored a run in the bottom of the first off Blackbirds starter
Kenny Cedel with a little help from a perceived extra out. After Cedel struck out the leadoff man, Steve Gallela hit a shallow fly ball to left. Leftfielder
Julian Castro got a late jump but recovered and made what appeared to be a diving catch. The home plate umpire, who made no initial call, eventually ruled that Castro had trapped the ball and Gallela later came around to score on a single by Mason Heyne.
Long Island tied the score right back up in the top of the second when shortstop
Greg DeSantis led off with a triple and scored on a single by third baseman
Derek Stupski. The Blackbirds took a 2-1 lead in the next inning when DeSantis brought in a run when he grounded into a double play.
Rider knotted things again in the bottom of the frame when A.J. Albee walked, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher
Tyler Jones. Albee scored on a groundout by Heyne. Albee gave the Broncs a late lead when he led off the seventh with a single and moved to second when Cedel w as called for a balk. Nick Wojnowski then knocked him in to make it 3-2.
Tyler Smith came on and recorded his seventh save, sealing the win for Patrick Devlin (5-3). Devlin threw six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out four. Cedel (1-9) took the loss, giving up three runs (four earned) on six hits and seven walks, fanning five.
Game two featured 12 pitchers that combined to give up 14 runs, with the Broncs doing the bulk of the scoring. On its way to taking a 9-1 lead, Rider touched starter
Chris Franzese for six runs (five earned) on seven hits and three walks.
The Broncs plated a pair in the first and added another run in the third before scoring three times in both the fourth and fifth innings to put the game out of reach for Long Island/ Franzese dropped to 0-6 for the year with the loss. Nate Eppley threw two perfect innings out of the bullpen to earn the win, improving to 1-1.
Extra bases. DeSantis drove in a pair of runs in game two, going 1-for-4… Designated hitter
Chris Kievit got the Blackbirds on the board with a solo shot in the fourth. The home run was his sixth of the season… Rightfielder Albert Faz (Miami, Fla.) went 2-for-2 with an RBI… Freshman reliever
Evan Zerff extended his single-season program record for appearances to 26 in the first game, getting out of a bases-loaded two-out jam in the sixth… Long Island has lost five straight games, falling to 13-39 for the year. Rider improved to 30-21… The Blackbirds will travel to New Britain, Conn., to play their final series of the year, a four-game set with Northeast Conference rival Central Connecticut State. The series will kick off on Friday, May 21 at 3:00 p.m.