Box Score LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Rider defeated Saint Peter's 4-3 in 10 innings on a bunt base hit in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) baseball action on Thursday.
Rob Moore (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle after posting a triple, double and single in his first three at-bats.
Tommy Toole (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) added two hits and an RBI for the Peacocks (9-41, 4-18 MAAC) while Nick Cardamone (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) posted a hit and an RBI. Anthony Assante (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) pitched well, allowing three runs (one earned) on 12 hits with one walk and four strikeouts in eight innings in the loss.
Brian Ullana, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the ninth, plated the winning run in the 10th on a bunt single. Richie Tecco recorded three hits and a run scored for the Broncs (17-32, 9-13 MAAC) while Tyler Kaiser added two hits and an RBI in the winning effort.
Each team scored three runs in the first four innings before neither team could push the decisive run across the plate until Rider notched the decisive run on an RBI bunt single in the 10th inning.
Saint Peter's jumped out to a 3-1 lead before the Broncs tied the game at 3 in the first four innings.
The Peacocks got the scoring started in the second with a run. Moore led off the stanza with a triple and came home on Mike Ionta's (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) RBI single to right field to hand Saint Peter's a 1-0 edge.
In the third, the Jersey City team used small ball to bring home the second run of the afternoon. Cardamone singled to left field, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then stole third before Toole brought Cardamone the remaining 90 feet on an RBI single to center for a 2-0 lead.
Kaiser hit a run-scoring single in the bottom of the inning to trim the margin to 2-1.
Moore then helped get the run back in the fourth after doubling to center and coming around to score on Jason Midkiff's (Wanaque, N.J./Paramus Catholic) RBI single up the middle for a 3-1 advantage.
Rider tied the game at 3 in the fourth by scoring on an error and a passed ball. The Broncs then scored the game-winning run in the 10th to earn the victory.
After posting three runs on seven hits in the first four innings, Saint Peter's only managed three base runners the rest of the way. Moore singled in the sixth, but was forced out on a fielder's choice by Midkiff before a ground out ended the inning. In the 10th inning, Cardamone reached on a two-base error with one out only to see a pair of fly outs ended the threat.
The two teams will conclude the series on Friday in Lawrenceville with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
