Rider University Baseball

Rider University Baseball 2008 NCAA Regional Championship Notes #1 Cal-State Fullerton (37-19) #2 UCLA (31-25) #3 Virginia (38-21) #4 Rider (29-26) Fullerton, California Tournament Field Tournament Schedule May 30 Game 1 4pm UCLA vs. Virginia Game 2 8pm Cal-State Fullerton vs. Rider May 31 Game 3 4pm Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 Game 4 8pm Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 June 1 Game 5 4pm Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 Game 6 8pm Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 4 June 2 Game 7 8pm if needed, repeat Game 6 All times Pacific

How Rider Got Here The Rider Broncs qualified for their ninth NCAA Regional since 1984 and first since 1994 by winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship tournament as the fourth seed and the tournament host. Head Coach Barry Davis Barry Davis is in his fourth season as the Rider head coach. Davis has coached in national tournaments on the Junior College level, the NAIA and now the NCAA. The four-time NJCAA Division III National Coach of the Year at Gloucester County (NJ) College, Davis won four National Junior College Titles and eight Regional Championships. Davis led Georgia Southwestern to a National NAIA ranking of fifth. At Rider Davis was the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2006. Davis is a native of Charlottesville, VA and an All-Conference and All-State shortstop at Bridgewater (VA) College and team MVP. Good Omen? Rider head coach Barry Davis enters the NCAA Regional with a career head coaching record of 666-311. That record includes a 95-115 record at Rider. Rider vs. The Field Rider has never played Cal State Fullerton or UCLA in baseball. The Broncs are 0-2 against Virginia. All-MAAC Broncs Junior Jamie Hayes was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Relief Pitcher of the Year as well as a First Team All-MAAC Utility Player. Junior Sean Olson was named to the First Team All-MAAC at first base. All-Tournament Jamie Hayes was named the MAAC Tournament MVP with six hits and four runs scored in four games along with two saves on the mound and five strikeouts in five innings. Also on the MAAC All-Tournament team were Mason Heyne (five hits and seven RBI,.588 slugging percentage), Jimmer Kennedy (win, 0.00 era in eight innings, 0 walks) and Matt McCollum (.333, outstanding catch in first base dugout). 2008 in Review The Broncs began the season 3-0 for the first time since 1991 and Rider was 6-2 to start 2008 the Broncs were 20-14 as of April 19, the fastest to 20 wins since beginning the 1995 season 20-11 Rider is 5-9 in May...the 29 wins for the Broncs are the most since winning 33 in 2002...Rider is 2-2 in extra inning games this year, including Rider s loss in the MAAC tournament... Rider scored 40 runs in a three-game series at Fairfield, including a 17-9 win, and was shutout once this season, at LeMoyne Rider had a game last 1:45 at LeMoyne and a 4:30 game at Fairfield the Broncs had 15 games where they did not commit an error (9-6), and one game where they committed six (9-7 loss at Canisius) from March 26 to April 27 Rider was 16-7 (.696).

Rider in NCAAs The 1967 Broncs finished fifth in the College World Series. Since then, eight Rider teams have advanced to an NCAA Regional, the last being in 1994. In 1995 and 1996, Rider won Northeast Conference titles but lost the NCAA Play-In series, once to Princeton and once to Penn. In 1987, Rider advanced to the East Regional Championship Game, the final 16 teams in the nation, before losing to Georgia at Georgia Tech. 1984 Northeast Regional University of Maine L 6-12 Maine L 5-7 Seton Hall 1985 East Regional University of South Carolina L 6-22 Saint John s W 3-2 Old Dominion L 12-17 La Salle 1986 East Regional University of Maine L 2-8 Saint John s W 9-4 Rutgers L 3-16 Saint John s 1987 Northeast Regional Georgia Tech W 8-5 Georgia Tech L 0-10 Michigan W 6-3 Dartmouth W 12-0 Fordham L 5-13 Georgia (Title Game) 1989 East Regional Florida State L 7-13 Florida State L 6-13 Stetson 1991 Midwest Regional Wichita State L 4-7 Ohio State L 5-6 East Carolina 1992 East Regional University of Florida L 1-6 Florida L 2-10 George Mason 1994 East Regional University of Miami L 4-17 Miami L 7-19 West Virginia

All-New Jersey Broncs Jamie Hayes was named the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association Player of the Year for 2008. Sean Olson and Mo Williams were named to the First Team All-NJCBA. David Hayes and Jimmer Kennedy were named Second Team All-NJCBA. Mason Heyne, Mike Thomas and Steve Galella were named to the NJCBA All-Rookie Team. Key Broncs #1 James Hayes outfield/closer junior MAAC Tournament MVP...MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year First Team All-MAAC as utility player New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association Division I Player of the Year leads Rider with 77 hits, 52 runs scored and 37 stolen bases as an outfielder or second baseman on the mound has 11 saves and an earned run average of 2.57 as the closer with a 3-2 record 52 runs scored most in a Rider season since 2004 holds Rider records for saves in a season (11 last year and again this year) and in a career (26) 200 career hits, currently ranks fifth on Rider career hit list needs three stolen bases for 40 that would tie the Rider single season record that stood since 1967 needs 10 stolen bases for 80 that would tie the Rider career record currently ranks 10 th in career runs scored (125) at Rider named team MVP Second Team All-MAAC as freshman and sophomore. #25 Mo Williams left field junior First Team All-NJCBA ranks second on the team with a.338 batting average started all 55 games in left field this season 151 career hits in 151 games named team s Most Improved Player. #32 Sean Olson catcher/first base junior First Team All-MAAC for second year in a row First Team All-NJCBA leads team with 52 RBI, 11 home runs and 17 doubles RBI total most for a Bronc since 2002 home run total and doubles total most by a Bronc since 2004 154 career hits in 141 games owned a.587 slugging percentage against MAAC pitchers with 6 home runs and 7 doubles Rider Athlete of the Month for April First Team All-MAAC in 2007. #5 David Hayes designated hitter/outfield/first base senior Second Team All-NJCBA MAAC All-Academic team was drafted out of high school as an All-State (Florida) pitcher and attended Florida Atlantic University before several arm surgeries at Rider has 94 career hits in 93 games, including 21 doubles and eight home runs recently graduated magna cum laude batted.343 against MAAC pitchers with 21 RBI in 21 MAAC games. #19 Jimmer Kennedy right handed pitcher junior MAAC All-Tournament team...shut out Siena (8 innings) in MAAC tournament day after Siena scored 24 runs...second Team All-NJCBA MAAC All-Academic team 17-14 career record is 15 th best ever at Rider pitched the seven inning game in the MAAC series this year defeated Liberty, Manhattan, Marist, Fairfield, Niagara, Saint Peter s and Siena this season named team s Most Valuable Pitcher.

#39 Mason Heyne third base freshman NJCBA All-Rookie Team MAAC All-Tournament team...had a.588 slugging percentage with seven RBI in MAAC Tournament...two-time MAAC Rookie of the Week batted.353 against MAAC pitchers, best on the team, with 30 hits enjoyed a 17 for 29 stretch in mid-april with six doubles shares team lead with 17 doubles. #12 Mike Thomas left handed pitcher freshman NJCBA All-Rookie Team shares team lead with 6 wins team high 21 appearances, 17 in relief all six wins came in relief defeated Delaware, Iona, Fairfield, Niagara (twice) and Lafayette struck out seven in seven innings in a start against Marist. #4 Mike Petrowski right handed pitcher junior Started 13 games this year, sharing team lead, and saved the MAAC Title Game, retiring all eight batters he faced won the first round playoff game over Canisius started the first game of every MAAC series this year led the team in strikeouts with 75 and innings pitched with 92 MAAC co-pitcher of the Week Feb. 18-24 led the 2007 team in wins, ERA, strikeouts and innings. #3 Steve Galella second base freshman NJCBA All-Rookie Team collected 52 hits in 51 starts at second base turned 29 double plays batted.299 against MAAC pitchers with 23 hits in 23 games. #27 John Ralston shortstop freshman Started 53 games at shortstop as a rookie and compiled 48 hits and 136 assists. #6 Matt McCollum outfield, first base sophomore Batted.333 in MAAC tournament while making an outstanding defensive play at first base...maac All-Tournament team. #15 Jon Leise center field senior Collected his 100 th career hit in the MAAC Tournament...batted team-high.545 in MAAC Tournament...enters Regional with 102 hits in 121 starts. #16 Derek Caldwell left handed pitcher junior Winning pitcher in MAAC Title Game, pitching six and one-third for his first victory as a start since 2005...missed all of 2007 and most of 2006 after Tommy John surgery...won his final four starts of 2005 as a rookie. #7 Eric Woodrow catcher sophomore Started 27 games behind the plate and Rider was 17-10 in those games...batted.367 with two outs this year, second best on the team.