Box Score (PDF)
Lawrenceville, NJ - Rider rallied for a 5-3 win over Manhattan in the series finale at Sonny Pittaro Field in the series finale between the teams.
The Broncs improve to 14-33 and 5-13 in the MAAC while the Jaspers fall to 20-28 and 12-6 in the league.
Rider opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first on a Sebastian Williamson RBI ground out, before Manhattan tied it up at 1-1 in the top of the third.
Freshman
Jonathan Barditch (Miami, FL / Belen Jesuit Prep) and classmate
Sam Franco (Bardonia, NY / Clarkstown South) each drew walks to lead off the third, before graduate student
Shawn Blake (Stratford, CT / Elon) dropped a bunt single to load up the bases. Freshman
Nick Cimillo (Airmont, NY / Suffern) followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Barditch while tying up the game at 1-1.
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Williamson then broke the deadlock with a RBI single to push across Mike Ionta in the bottom part of the frame while giving the Broncs a 2-1 lead.
The Jaspers took their first lead of the game in the fourth when Franco reached on an infield single, before an errant Rider throw allowed sophomore
Jake Knop (Portland, ME / Portland) and graduate student
Cam Crabbe (White Plains, NY / USF) to score.
Rider would tie the game in the bottom of the sixth on Zach Fick's RBI infield single, before plating two more runs in its next trip to the plate in grabbing a 5-3 advantage.
Manhattan would threaten in the ninth as Crabbe led off with a single, before Franco single delivered a single of his own with one out. However the pair would be left stranded in scoring position as LHP Zach Gakeler induced a game-ending fly out.
Franco and Padre each had two hits to lead the way on offense, while Barditch, Crabbe and Knop each reached safely twice.
Richie Tecco had two hits while Williamson singled and drove in three to pace the Broncs. Gakeler struck out two over 3.0 perfect frames in moving to 3-2 on the year.
Manhattan will play at Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday, May 7 at 1:00 pm.
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