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Box Score 2 LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Jon Kristoffersen (Jefferson, N.J./Jefferson Township) made the most of his final collegiate baseball afternoon. The senior plated the game-winning run in the eighth inning to propel Saint Peter's past Rider 8-7 in the opening game of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) baseball doubleheader on Friday. Kristoffersen then added three hits in a 13-11 loss against the Broncs to move into second place on the program's all-time career hit list.
Going to extra innings for the second-straight day, Tommy Toole (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) reached on a two-base error and came around to score on Kristoffersen's opposite field RBI single to break a 7-all standstill. The Broncs then got two runners on via the walk against Steve Epstein (Marlboro, N.J./Marlboro), but a runner did not make it past second base and Epstein notched his first collegiate save.
Kristoffersen went 5-for-10 with four runs scored and four RBIs in his final two games of his career. Needing four hits to become the third player in program history to reach 200 hits for his career, the senior smacked a three-run homer in the second inning of the nightcap for his 200th career base hit. Kristoffersen then doubled in his final plate appearance in the eighth to move into a tie for second place on the program's all-time career hit list.
Jason Midkiff (Wanaque, N.J./Paramus Catholic) posted four hits, three RBIs and a run scored for the Peacocks (10-42, 5-19 MAAC) while Rob Moore (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) recorded a hit, three RBIs and three runs scored. Nick Cardamone (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) added two hits and a run scored. John Leiter (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) took the loss in the second game while Nathaniel Leon (Brooklyn, N.Y./Archbishop Spalding) tossed two innings in the nightcap. Cardamone, Kristoffersen, Leiter, Leon, Midkiff and Moore were all seeing their final collegiate action on the day. Mike Doran (Ashbury, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) the final member of the 2016 graduating class did not play after missing the majority of the season with an injury.
Riley Mihalik paced Rider (18-33, 10-14 MAAC) with four hits, five RBIs and three runs scored. Dalton Mayberry added two hits, three RBIs and a run scored while Mike Volaski registered four hits, two RBIs and two runs scored in the two games.
In the opener, Saint Peter's jumped out to a 7-3 lead before the Broncs scored four unanswered runs and send the game to extra innings where the Peacocks won in eight innings, 8-7.
Saint Peter's got the scoring started with four runs in the first. Toole singled up the middle and Kristoffersen reached on an error before Moore plated both runners on a two-run single to right. Nick Ciocco (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill) scored Moore on an RBI single to left field before James Spadaccini (Butler, N.J./Butler) brought Ciocco home on an opposite field run-scoring single for a 4-0 advantage.
Brian Uilana, the hero in Thursday's 4-3 win, hit a sacrifice fly in the second while a second run came home courtesy of an error to trim the margin to 4-2. Lee Lipinsky then hit a solo homer in the fourth to make it a one-run game.
The Peacocks answered with a three-run fifth to extend its margin to 7-3. Toole reached on an error and Kristoffersen singled before Moore was walked intentionally to load the bases. Midkiff smacked a two-run single up the middle to score Toole and Kristoffersen before Ciocco brought Moore home on an RBI single up the middle for a four-run lead.
James Locklear started the Broncs comeback with an RBI single in the fifth and then scored on an error on the play. After Rider scored on error in the sixth, Jake Bender tied the game at 7 on a sacrifice fly. Kristoffersen then hit the decisive RBI single in the eighth and Epstein got the final three outs for the save to earn the Jersey City team an 8-7 extra inning win.
Willie Krajnik (Lyndhurst, N.J./Saint Mary) recorded eight strikeouts to earn his second win of the year. Ciocco had two hits, two RBIs and a run scored and Toole added a hit and three runs scored in the opening win.
Rider won a slugfest in the second game, 13-11. Saint Peter's grabbed a 1-0 and 5-4 leads and tied the game at 7 before Rider scored four-straight runs to take the lead for good.
After the Peacocks tied the game at 7 in the fourth when Cardamone scored on the backend of a double-steal attempt, the Broncs grabbed the lead right back they would not relinquish on a three-run home by Mihalik in the bottom of the inning for a 10-7 lead. Mayberry added an RBI double in the fifth to extend the lead to four runs.
A three-run seventh by the Peacocks cut the margin to 11-10. After Moore walked, Midkiff and Spadaccini followed with singles to load the bases. Mike Ionta (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) brought both runners home on a two-run single to right field before Angel Perez (Jersey City, N.J./Marist HS) scored Ionta on an RBI single to left field to make it a one-run game.
Rider responded right back with power thanks to a two-run homer in the seventh by Mayberry to hand the Broncs a 13-10 edge.
The Jersey City team got one back in the ninth to set the final score. Ionta doubled and scored on an error to trim the margin to 13-11. Cardamone then singled to put runners on first and second, but a ground out ended the game.
Saint Peter's got the scoring started in the nightcap with a run in the first. Kristoffersen singled up the middle and touched home on Midkiff's triple down the right field line for a 1-0 lead.
The Broncs scored four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead. Mihalik and Volaski hit back-to-back singles before Lipinski plated a run on a groundout and Jack Finn hit an RBI single to left field to cap the stanza.
A four-run response by the Peacocks restored the lead for the Jersey City team at 5-4. After Nick Camilleri (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) reached on an error and Perez walked, Toole plated Camilleri with an RBI single to right field and then Kristoffersen unloaded a three-run homer to right field to regain a one-run advantage.
Rider came back with three runs in the second to grab a 7-5 edge. Mihalik and Tyler Kaiser each had RBI singles sandwiched in between a Volaski RBI groundout.
Saint Peter's tied the game in the fourth. Perez reached on an infield single, moved to second on a wild pitch before Cardamone walked and Toole was hit with the pitch to load the bases. Moore hit a sacrifice fly to score Perez and Cardamone scored on a double steal attempt to even the score at 7. The Broncs then scored six of the final 10 runs to earn the win and the series victory.
Perez had three hits, two runs scored and an RBI while Ionta posted two hits, two RBIs and a run scored and Spadaccini had two hits and a run scored in the second game.
Along with finishing second in career hits, Kristoffersen ends his career third in triples (12), fifth in runs scored (118), fifth in doubles (39) and 10th in homers (10). Kristoffersen also holds the single-season hits record after registering 67 hits as a sophomore. Moore finishes his career ranking fifth in RBIs (99), sixth in homers (13), sixth in doubles (36), eighth in runs scored (102) and 10th in hits (177). Leiter concludes his career third in games started (42), fifth in innings pitched (246.2), sixth in strikeouts (189) and eighth in appearances (51).
