Rider University 3, Niagara University 2;Rider University 9, Niagara University 3

College Baseball

LAWRENCEVILLE—The Broncs swept

Niagara

in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday.

 

Freshman shortstop John Ralston (Annandale, Va./Paul VI) collected five hits and freshman third baseman Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) had a pair of home runs, as the left side of the Rider infield accounted for nine hits, five RBI and six runs scored in the twinbill.

 

In the first game, with bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning, sophomore Matt McCollum (Tabernacle, N.J./Shawnee) grounded out to shortstop, scoring junior Maurice Williams (Ocean, N.J./Monmouth Regional) with the winning run. The middle infielders were at double-play depth but the ball was hit too slowly for a double play, but too deep to cut down the runner at home. “Matt put the ball in play and when you do that good things happen,”

Davis

said.

 

Heyne led off the ninth inning with a home run, tying the score at 2-2.

 

“I was feeling good at the plate today,” Heyne said. “I thought it was going to be off the fence so I was running hard to first until I heard everyone screaming and hollering. I’m seeing the ball pretty well right now.”

 

Niagara took a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth inning when a ground ball hit first base with two runners on, the third hit of the inning by the Purple Eagles.

 

Rider tied the score at 1-1 in the seventh inning when Ralston singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by freshman Steve Galella (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial). Ralston and Galella each had two of Rider’s seven hits.

 

Niagara

took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on a solo home run.

 

McCollum made a diving catch in left-centerfield and threw out the base runner on second base to end the eighth inning.

Freshman Mike Thomas (

Forest Hill

,

Md.

/Fallston) got the win, striking out the only batter he faced to end the top of the ninth inning.

Junior Mike Petrowski (

Hamilton Square

, N.J./Steinert) pitched eight and two-thirds innings, striking out four without allowing a walk.

In the second game, Rider (23-16, 11-6 MAAC) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Ralston hit an RBI double and Galella followed with an RBI single.

In the third inning Rider scored four runs on four hits, including another RBI double by Ralston and an RBI triple by Williams to take a 6-0 lead. It was the second triple for Williams this week.

 

Junior Jimmer Kennedy (

Levittown

, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) pitched a complete game, striking out five without allowing a walk. “

 

Rider hosts

Niagara

(17-20, 6-8 MAAC) in the third game of the series Sunday at 12 noon.

 

-RU-