Rider Dropped Doubleheader Against Charlotte
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Rider Broncs athletic logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
CHARLOTTE, NC – The Rider University baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader against Charlotte at Hayes Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The 49ers (5-2) took the opener, 13-2, and scored a 12-2 victory versus the Broncs (0-3) in game two.
In the first game of the day, Charlotte played three in the first and added seven runs in the third to chase Rider starter Paul Sparano (Ewing, NJ/Ewing). Rider would score runs in the sixth and seventh frames to get on the board. In the sixth, Jake Bender (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge) picked up and RBI on a fielder’s choice to short and in the seventh Mike Volaski (Oxnard, CA/Ventura CC/Oxnard) knocked in the other Bronc run on a single down the right field line.
In the finale, the 49ers once again got off to a quick start scoring nine runs over the first three innings. In relief of starter Pete Soporowski (South Amboy, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) , relievers Jordan Silverman (Holland, PA/Council Rock HS South) and Dylan Simcik (Newtown, PA/Holy Ghost Prep) went the rest of the way and surrendered to just two earned runs.
The Bronc runs in the nightcap came on a double-play ball in the second and a solo homer by Harrison McClure (Atlanta, GA/South Florida State/North Atlanta).
NOTES & QUOTES
“Today we fell behind early in both games,” Rider University Head Coach Barry Davis said.
“When you’re down big after three innings it took us away from doing some things. We played the games differently than we did yesterday. Charlotte has quality pitchers and they came after us.”
“In game one, Nick Payesko threw the ball well for us and in game two Dylan Simcik pitched well for us in relief as well," Davis added. "Our starters need to do a better job. Hopefully tomorrow we’ll get off to a better start.”
- In game one, Rider pushed across runs in each of its final two innings at the plate.
- McClure’s solo shot in game two was his first as a Bronc.
- Rider did not commit an error in the first game of the day. It was their first game without a fielding miscue on the young season.
- Rider had six hits in the opener and four in game two.
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Rider 2-5 hitters each had one hit apiece in game two.
- Volaski worked the only walk of the day for Rider and it came in the second game.
ON DECK
Rider concludes its season-opening four-game series versus Charlotte on Sunday, February, 26, with a nine-inning matinee that is slated to begin at 1:00 pm. Toeing the rubber for the Broncs will be Harrison McClure