| April 2, 2006 - Siena 8 Rider 5 | |
 | Derek Caldwell |
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April 2, 2006 - Siena 8 Rider 5
April 2, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Baseball
Siena College 8, Rider University 5
LAWRENCEVILLE—The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Siena Sunday, and the Saints take the series two games to one. “Any time the other team has twice as many hits as you, you’re not going to win the game,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. Siena out-hit Rider 16-7.
Rider (6-19, 3-3 MAAC) took a 2-1 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by senior Mike Poalise (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton). “Mike has been consistent,” said Davis. “He’s a good leadoff guy, but he serves us well in the middle of the line up.”
Poalise had three of Rider’s seven hits, including a double, was on base all five times he batted (walk), and scored three runs. “I found myself leading off a few times today,” said Poalise, “and I’ve been a lead off hitter my entire life. I don’t mind it. If I’m able to spark an inning, great. But I’m not your typical leadoff hitter in that I don’t take a lot of pitches, I don’t walk a lot, but today I was able to get on base and score like a leadoff hitter.”
Poalise now has 34 hits in 24 games this season and 132 career hits in 140 career games. “I have no personal goals, just to get to the MAAC tournament,” Poalise said. “This is my fourth year and I’ve never been there. I’d like to absorb some of that playoff atmosphere. Whatever I can do to help the team win, hit, run, play defense, anything to help the team get to the MAAC tournament.”
The Broncs took a 3-2 lead in the third inning on a pair of Siena errors.
Siena (5-17, 2-4 MAAC) scored five runs in the fifth inning on six singles and a double to take a 7-3 lead. “Siena was aggressive at the plate, and they executed,” said Davis.
Freshman pitcher Jim Kennedy (Levittown, PA/Holy Ghost), who won his last two starts, held Siena to three runs on six hits and struck out two in the first four innings, before the fatal fifth frame. “It wasn’t overwhelming,” said Davis. “I think we had the tying run at the plate at least twice after that. We just stopped hitting the last two games. We pitched well in 15 of the last 16 innings.”
Rider plays at La Salle Tuesday.
-RU-
