March 15, 2007 - Gonzaga 9 Rider 4
March 15, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Baseball
Gonzaga University 9, Rider University 4
SPOKANE, WA—Despite collecting 12 hits the Broncs lost at Gonzaga Thursday night. “We swung the bats pretty good,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis. “We’re seeing progress.”
For Rider (2-8), junior Jon Leise (Woodbury/West Deptford) doubled and scored on an RBI double by senior Jeff Reynolds (Denville/Parsippany Hills) in the fifth inning, and the Broncs cut the lead to 6-3 on an RBI single by senior Brad States (Paoli, PA/Conestoga). Leise also singled in the eighth inning. “Leise is getting good swings,” Davis said. “He played well.”
Freshman Garrett Rugg (Langhorne, PA/Neshaminy) hit an RBI single in the ninth inning for his first collegiate hit. “He hit the heck out of it,” Davis said.
The Zags (12-10) scored three runs on three hits and a Rider error in the fifth inning to take a 9-3 lead. “We battled back to cut the lead to 6-3 but then we gave it right back to them,” Davis said.
Gonzaga scored a run in the first inning on three singles, added three more runs in the third inning on three hits, including a home run, and a Rider error to take a 4-0 lead, and took a 6-1 lead in the fourth inning.
Rider junior David Hayes (Sunrise, Fla) hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to get Rider on the board. “He should have had another one but was robbed,” Davis said. “The kid went over the fence and caught it. David has a chance to be a very good hitter.”
David’s younger brother, sophomore Jamie Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./Piper), doubled.
Red-shirt freshman Matt McCollum (Tabernacle/Shawnee) had three singles for the Broncs. “Matt is improving,” Davis said, “hitting with two strikes.”
Sophomore Sean Olson (Vineland/St. Augustine Prep) and sophomore Mo Williams (Tinton Falls/Monmouth Regional) also singled for Rider.
Senior Erik Holck (Readington/Hunterdon Central) pitched three innings of relief without allowing an earned run. “Holck did okay,” Davis said.
The game was the first contest played on the brand new Patterson Sports Complex field, and the first baseball game played on the Gonzaga campus in over three years.
The Broncs play the second game of the three-game series Friday. “They aren’t much better than us,” Davis said. “Hopefully we’ll continue to swing the bats, play better defense, and show how good we are.”
-RU-
