MORGANTOWN – A game-tying three-run home run from Steve Galella in the top of the ninth with two outs allowed Rider to win 12-9 in 13 innings in the final game of a four-game series against West Virginia on Saturday evening.
After starter Josh McCauley got the first Bronc batter to ground out in the top of the ninth, he allowed a double to left field to Brandon Cotten, ending his outing. Matt Morrone came on in relief and faced pinch hitter Nick Crescenzo who singled up the middle to score Cotten and bring the game to 8-5. Josh Harlow then entered the game for the Mountaineers and walked A.J. Albee before giving up the home run to Galella that just went over the reach of WVU left fielder Brady Wilson to tie the game at 8-8.
The game stayed scoreless for three innings before Ian Lindsay had a leadoff single to open the 13th. After Ken Kremer reached on a throwing error by Ryan McBroom, Rider’s John Ralston cracked a double to left center, scoring Lindsay. Rider scored three more runs in the inning on four hits and one error to take the lead at 12-8.
WVU attempted a comeback in the bottom of the 13th after back-to-back singles from Colin Duborow and Matt Malloy to begin the inning, but it proved to be too little too late as Durborow scoring on a Brady Wilson fielder’s choice was the only run West Virginia could get.
The Mountaineers (8-7) finished with nine runs on 16 hits, with three errors, while the Broncs had 12 runs on 16 hits and one error.
McCauley took the no-decision in his first career game, pitching 8.1 innings, allowing 10 hits and three earned runs. Harlow (0-1) took the loss, allowing five hits and five earned runs in 3.2 innings of relief work. The win went to Tyler Smith (1-1) who pitched seven innings of relief and only allowed one run on five hits. Starter Joe Calogero pitched four innings, allowing 11 hits and eight runs.
West Virginia got off to a fast start by scoring a combined eight runs on eight hits in the second and third innings.
In the second inning, McBroom and Jeremy Gum each reached on singles and advanced on passed balls to get to scoring position. Durborow then hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring Gum, while McBroom was tagged out at third. After a Malloy single to left, Mark Dvoroznak doubled to left field, scoring Durborow and advancing Malloy to third. Wilson drove in the final two runs off the inning with a double to left field, scoring both Malloy and Dvoroznak.
Dan DiBartolomeo started the bottom of the third with a single, followed by Grant Buckner reaching base on a throwing error by the third baseman. After a sacrifice fly by McBroom to score DiBartolomeo, Durborow singled to score Buckner. Malloy ended the scoring with a two run home run to left center, his first of the season.
Wilson, DiBartolomeo and Malloy each had three hits for West Virginia, with Wilson driving in three and Durborow and Malloy each recording two RBIs. Durborow also had three runs scored.
Rider scored one run in the third inning, while also adding two on a two-run double to left in the seventh inning from Crescenzo scoring Adam Wayman and Ralston.
Lindsay led Rider, batting 3-for-5 with a run scored. Cotten, Crescenzo, Albee, Galella, Kremer and Ralston all had two hits apiece. Galella also finished with four RBIs.
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