The Canisius baseball team came away with a victory due to a Rider fielding error with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to walk-off the Broncs, ensuring a split of Monday's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader from a brisk and sun-soaked Demske Sports Complex in downtown Buffalo.

The walk-off win the Griffs' first such victory since Cole Hollins had an RBI groundout against Monmouth in a 10-inning victory on May 5, 2019.

Rider scored three runs in the sixth inning to win Monday's opening game, 5-2. In the nightcap, Canisius scored the first three runs before Rider plated four unanswered, highlighted by another three-run sixth, to take the lead. Canisius tied the game up in the bottom half of the sixth and would later win the game on the Rider fielding error.

Jake Burlingame batted 4-for-7 in the pair of games, with a triple and two RBI to his credit. Dylan Vincent, who went 3-for-4 in the nightcap, hit the Griffs' only home run on Monday, which was also his first collegiate round tripper. Mike Mazzara and Max Felsenstein also recorded extra-base hits. Mazzara had an RBI triple in the opening game, while Felsenstein had a double in the nightcap.

Like it has all month long, pitching shined once again for the Blue and Gold as the Canisius battery had a 3.38 ERA over 16 innings of work. The Griffs stuck out 11 Broncs batters and limited them to a .230 average.

GAME ONE RECAP

Sean McGeehan's two-run home run punctuated Rider's three-run sixth inning which gave the Broncs a 5-2 victory in the opening game of Monday's doubleheader.

Rider and Canisius exchanged scores for three consecutive half innings, beginning with the Broncs scoring on a Canisius passed ball in the top-half of the third. Jake Burlingame hit an RBI single up the middle scoring Mike Mazzara to knot the score in the bottom half of the third before McGeehan countered the Griffs' run by driving home the first of his three runs of the game on a fielder's choice in the fourth.

Mazzara tied the game in the fifth when he hit an RBI triple to the right-center field gap, bringing Gibson Krzeminski all the way home from first.

Rider's three-run sixth inning began with another RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Jordan Erbe. McGeehan followed up with a two-run home run to left field.

Will Frank earned the start for the Griffs, pitching the first four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, walking a pair and striking out four. He also hit two batters.

Brett Kochanski pitched the remaining three innings and was Canisius' pitcher of record. He allowed four hits and three runs while striking out a batter.

Frank Doelling went the distance for Rider, allowing three hits and two unearned runs. He walked two and struck out five.

GAME TWO RECAP

A fielding error by Rider's first basemen enabled Vinny Chiarenza to be safe at first and allowed Jake Burlingame to score from third as the Griffs won the later game of Monday's doubleheader, 5-4. 

Canisius started the game off strong, stringing together four hits in the first inning. Burlingame tripled home Max Felsenstein, who led the inning off with a single, to give the Griffs an early lead. Chiarenza later brought Burlingame home with an RBI single to right-center field to make it a 2-0 contest. 

Brennan Chisholm hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, allowing Mike Mazzara to score and extending the Griffs' lead to 3-0. 

Rider responded with an RBI single in the fifth inning before scoring three more runs — all off RBI doubles — in the sixth inning to take a 4-3 lead. 

Vincent tied the game up rather quickly by leading off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to center field. 

Canisius' crazy ninth inning began with Felsenstein's double, but was out at third after an errant throw from Rider's right fielder. A two-out rally was sparked by back-to-back singles by Burlingame and Jacob Victor, leaving runners at the corners for Chiarenza. 

On the first pitch of the at-bat, Chiarenza hit a ground ball to the third baseman who threw to first, but the Broncs' first baseman took his foot off the bag and Chiarenza was safe after sliding head first into the base, allowing Burlingame to score from third.

Tom Peltier made his second start for the Griffs, going the first five innings, allowing three hits and three runs (two earned), walking two and striking out three.

Joe Barberio earned the win for the Griffs after pitching four innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits, walking one and striking out three. 

Rider's closer, Cal Stalzer, was saddled with the loss, after coming in to pitch the ninth inning.

Head Coach Matt Mazurek's Postgame Comments

"It was good to salvage the day and get the win in the second game. We did not come out and play our usual brand of baseball in the first game and it worked against us. We found the right recipe in the second game to stay in it long enough to get a bounce to go our way. A win is a win and we will take it."

GAME NOTES

• Mazzara's RBI triple in the opening game was his first collegiate triple.
• Burlingame and Chiarenza extended their on-base streaks to 13 games after both players reached base in both games.
• Kochanski's three-inning outing in the first game tied his career long, which had been done twice prior, the last instance occurring on April 30, 2019 against Niagara.
• Vincent's three-hit game is his third career game with three base hits and was his first since March 1, 2020 at Marshall.
• Peltier struck out three batters in his start, which is tied for the most in an outing for the left-hander. It is the fourth time he has struck out three batters in a game; the first since March 7, 2020 at Radford.

UP NEXT

During Monday's doubleheader, Canisius and Quinnipiac announced that the two teams will play two of its four postponed games from April 17 and 18 on Wednesday in Hamden, Conn. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. from the Quinnpiac Baseball Field.

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