April 30, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

College Baseball
Rider University 10, Saint Peter's College 1

LAWRENCEVILLE—The Broncs defeated Saint Peter’s in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Sunday to sweep the three game series and remain in first place. “We still have quite a few (nine) conference games left but as long as we keep on winning we keep on improving on our playoff situation,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis.

Senior Tom Letizia (Fair Lawn) had two doubles in the first three innings to lead the Broncs (20-23, 14-4 MAAC). “As a group, the seniors have really set a goal of doing anything we can to make the playoffs this year,” said Letizia, who now has 50 hits this season and 142 for his career, 32nd most ever at Rider. “With the three wins this weekend we’re still in first place, and we’ve got a big weekend coming up against Manhattan. They swept us last year, so we have something to prove next weekend.”

“Tommy had a good, solid weekend for us, in the field and at the plate,” said Davis. “He’s a good team player who does a lot of positive things in a ball game.”

Junior Jeff Reynolds (Denville/Parsippany Hills) had four RBI for Rider. “I thought Reynolds had the hit of the day,” said Davis, referring to a two-run double in the fourth inning which gave Rider a 4-0 lead. “With two outs and a 3-2 count, that was a huge hit for us.”  Reynolds added a two-run single in the eighth inning for the final score.

Junior pitcher Justin Roszkowski (Clark/Arthur L. Johnson) pitched a complete game, allowing just one unearned run in the eighth inning while striking out five and walking two. “Roszkowski did a great job,” Davis said. “He went right at them, just like we wanted him to.”  Roszkowski has won three of his last five starts, and had a no decision in his last start, a win over Niagara.

Rider took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Letizia hit an RBI double and scored on a ground out. “I had two strikes so I just wanted to put the ball in play,” said Letizia. “I got a fastball and just tried to hit it hard somewhere.”

Freshman Jamie Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./Piper) also had two hits for the Broncs, and now has 50 hits on the season. The last time a Rider freshman had 50 hits was Scott Rich, who had 59 hits in 2001 and graduated with a Rider-record 263 career hits.

Rider hosts Princeton in a non-conference game Wednesday at 3:30.

-RU-