Baseball: Raiders finish Florida trip with a pair of losses

(Fort Myers, Fla.) The Rivier University Baseball team wrapped up their annual pilgrimage to Fort Myers this evening as they lost both ends of a double-header against Thiel College and Penn State-Fayette. The Raiders, now 1-7 to start the season, fell in a wild first game to Thiel 8-7 before squandering a 13-7 game against Penn State-Fayette.

Game One: Thiel College 8, Rivier University 7 (Final)

The Raiders late comeback fell just short as they dropped the first game of the afternoon, 8-7 to Theil College. Trailing 8-4, Rivier plated three runs in the seventh and left the tying run on base as the game came to a close.

Senior Tyler Ferdinand (Middleboro, Mass.) continues his march towards the all-time hit record as he went 5-for-5 with three RBI and freshman Michael Cronan (Hope, R.I.) added a 2-for-5 afternoon. Also recording multi-hit games were junior Brett Iannazzo (Methuen, Mass.) and sophomore Brendan Sullivan (Manchester, N.H.). Sullivan finished 2-for-3 while Iannazzo was 2-for-5.

Sophomore Cameron Way (El Cajon, Calif.) received the loss on the bump as he allowed eight runs, seven earned, on nine hits and striking out two. Classmate Eric Maxfield (Lowell, Mass.) made his debut on the mound throwing three scoreless frames giving up just three hits.

Jake Marino matched Ferdinand as he was a perfect 4-for-4 and Zach Hudecek chipped in with a 3-for-4, 3 RBI night. Christian Aldrich also knocked in three RBI on his 2-for-4 showing. Dante Vaniel was credited with the win and Spencer Rinaldi earned the save for Theil.

Game Two: Penn State-Fayette 13, Rivier University 7 (Final)

A pair of four-innings did the trick as Penn State-Fayette ended the Raiders time in Fort Myers with a 13-7 loss.

Sullivan finished his trip with a 3-for-5 performace including a RBI and Ferdinand added a pair of hits on his 2-for-5 night. Junior Jorge Martinez (Methuen, Mass.) knocked home a RBI as he finished 1-for-3 and freshman Frederick Kazalski (Dracut, Mass.) smacked an RBI double in the loss.

Junior Kyle Flanagan (Bradford, Mass.) fell to 0-2 on the season as the right-hander gave up six runs on four hits and four walks while striking out three. Classmate James Magno (Gray, Maine) allowed seven runs, five earned, on seven hits in 3.1 innings of relief. Freshman Daniel White (Augusta, Maine) and Dillon Brady (Middleboro, Mass.) each tossed a scoreless frame for Rivier.

Penn State-Fayette's Russell Rittenour earned the win as he pitched 7.2 innings surrendering seven runs on seven hits and walking six. Justin Salom allowed just two hits as he threw 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Jaryn Addis went 3-for-5 with a RBI and Rittenour helped his own cause with a 3-for-5, 3 RBI showing at the plate to give Penn State-Fayette their first win of the season.

Rivier will return home to the cold Northeast and get set to play Clark University on Tuesday, March 13th. Game time is scheduled for 3pm.