Baseball: Raiders can't overcome Crusaders onslaught, fall 30-3

(Fort Myers, Fla.) It was not the start the Rivier University Baseball team expected against a slugging Alvernia University squad but ultimately the Crusaders crossed the plate 20 times in the first two innings in sending the Raiders to a 30-3 defeat at the Lee County Player Development Complex in Fort Myers, Fla. The Crusaders knocked the baseball all over the yard as they totaled 30 hits and 27 RBI on the morning.

Senior Jacob Rayner (Billerica, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a RBI to lead the Raider offensive effort and both freshman Jamie Brigham (Framingham, Mass.) and Brennan Reeves (Exeter, R.I.) each registered their first career hits. Freshman Ryan Schaefer (Everett, Mass.) suffered the loss (0-1) in his collegiate debut as he allowed eleven runs on seven hits while walking four in an inning-plus of work.

Senior left-hander Ryan Sheekey (Scotch Plains, N.J.) spun a complete game for Alvernia as he went the full nine innings allowing three runs on six hits while striking out 10. Sophomore Ian Shaffer (Sinking Spring, Pa.) and junior Ben Dubas (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) each totaled five RBI and eleven Crusaders recorded multi-hit days at the plate in the lopsided win.

Rivier will look to even their 2017 Florida trip, currently 1-2 in the sunshine state, tomorrow afternoon when they square off against Hiram College at the Terry Park Sports Complex.