The Canisius College baseball team jumped out to a six-run lead in the first inning and defeated Rider University 14-8 to complete the series sweep at the Demske Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon. The Golden Griffins, who have won five straight and nine of their last 12, improve to 16-13 overall and sit in first place at 5-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Sophomore Shane Zimmer was 2-for-3 with four RBI while senior Drew Pettit was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a two-run homer. Freshman Mike Krische was 2-for-4 with three RBI while junior Brooklyn Foster also had two hits. 

The Griffs sent 11 men to the plate in the first inning, scoring six runs (five of them with two outs) and chasing Rider starter Patrick Devlin. Sophomore Jose Torralba led off with a double down the left-field line, stole third and then scored on a sacrifice fly from Zimmer. Canisius then had seven consecutive batters reach base with two outs, including a two-run homer from Pettit a bases-loaded walk to Krische and a two-RBI single from Torralba.

The game featured a 3 hour, 27 minute rain delay that happened in the bottom of the third inning. Out of the rain delay, Krische went the other way with the first pitch and hit it over the drawn-in first baseman's head to score Foster. The Griffs would load the bases and Zimmer had a bases-clearing double to put Canisius up 10-0.

Canisius built a 14-1 lead by adding two in the fourth and fifth innings. The Broncs scored five in the sixth and two in the seventh before the Canisius bullpen threw scoreless innings of relief in the eighth and ninth to close out the game.

Redshirt junior Billy Martin (3-1) went five innings, allowing one run on four hits, walking none and striking out four to pick up the win.

Canisius concludes its homestand on Wednesday, when the Golden Griffins host Cornell in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

Notes: Canisius has won five straight for the first time this season. It is the ninth winning streak of at least five games since 2007 and Canisius has had a streak of at least five straight in each of the last six seasons... Zimmer extends his consecutive games streak of reaching base to 36 games... Canisius is now 61-20 in its last 81 home games... Canisius has won eight of the last nine meetings with Rider in Buffalo... Martin has four walks in his last four starts (25 innings)... Torralba had his fifth multi-hit game in the last nine contests... Canisius is now 26-8 in MAAC series since 2008, recording its 13th sweep of that span... Canisius starts 5-1 or better in MAAC play for the third time in five years (2008 and 2010).