Broncs Host Red Foxes
Rider-Marist Rivalry in 20th Year
LAWRENCEVILLE-Since the 1992-93 school year, the Broncs and Red Foxes have been conference rivals.
The Rider University and Marist College baseball teams will compete in a three-game series on the Sonny Pittaro Field beginning with a single game on Friday at 3:30pm and a doubleheader Saturday. (Sunday game moved to Friday due to rain in the forecast)
Rider joined the Northeast Conference in the fall of 1992 and won three conference baseball championships in five years, in 1994, 1995 and 1996.
In 1997 Marist won the NEC crown.
Rider and Marist both left the NEC for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in the fall of 1997.
Marist has won five MAAC Titles since then, including 2009.
The Broncs won MAAC Titles in 2008 and 2010.
Marist had 35 wins last year but finished one game out of the MAAC four-team playoffs with a 13-11 MAAC record.
Rider won 33 games last year and finished in second place in the MAAC at 16-7.
The two teams have met 66 times, with Rider winning 30, including all three last year in Poughkeepsie and two of three in 2010 at Rider.
This year the Red Foxes (13-19, 5-6 MAAC) have won three in a row while losing two of three MAAC games to Siena over the weekend.
The Broncs (11-24) took two of three from Manhattan to improve to 6-6 in conference play. At LIU Wednesday senior Brandon Cotten (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley) had four hits, giving him 191 for his career, 14th most ever at Rider.
The Broncs will send sophomore Mike Murphy (Hamilton/Peddie), junior Tyler Smith (Westmont/Haddon Twp.) and freshman Kurt Sowa (Bensalem, PA/Fr. Judge) to the mound again this weekend.
Murphy won his third game last Saturday, striking out eight Jaspers in six innings of work without a walk.
Smith made his second collegiate start and went the distance (7 innings) for the second time, striking out eight without a walk, allowing just one run to bring his earned run average down to 1.63. The Preseason All-American closer is now 2-0 as a starter and overall is 3-1 with three saves.
Sowa pitched six innings and struck out five while allowing just one walk last Sunday and this weekend will again be attempting to gain his third win.
For the 20th season Rider and Marist face each other as conference rivals. How long is 20 years? In 1992 the price of gas was $1.05. 1992 was the year Bill Clinton became president.
20 years is a long time.
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