LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Interstat) — Kyle Batt delivered a masterful eight-inning start and the Rider offense erupted for 10 runs on 11 hits as the Broncs dominated the Siena Saints 10-1 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball action Saturday at Sonny Pittaro Field.

The victory, played under the lights after an afternoon start, gave Rider a 2-0 series lead in the three-game weekend set and improved its season record to 7-5. Siena dropped to 6-10.

The most important part of the game was the first inning, which set a decisive tone. Rider sent 10 batters to the plate against Siena starter David Siciliano, scoring four runs on four hits. After a walk to Wyatt Gallagher, Erich Hartmann tripled him home. Kyle Neri followed with an RBI single, and Nick Shuhet and Eliot Medlock later added sacrifice fly and run-scoring single, respectively. The early outburst provided more than enough support for Batt.

Batt, the top star for Rider, was in complete control. He scattered four hits over his eight innings of work, allowing no earned runs and striking out three. He faced minimal trouble after the third inning, when Siena plated its lone unearned run. Gavin Thorburn doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Randy Venditti. That was the only runner to reach second base against Batt after the third inning.

Rider added a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Cole Magoulic, then broke the game open with a five-run seventh inning against Siena reliever JT Gunzy. The big blow was a three-run homer to right field by catcher Nick Shuhet, his first of the season, which pushed the lead to 9-1. Kyle Neri capped the scoring with a solo home run to left field in the eighth inning, his fourth hit of the day. Neri finished 4 for 5 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored. Shuhet drove in four runs despite only one official hit.

Siena’s offense was stifled, managing just four singles and a double. Thorburn had the lone extra-base hit for the Saints. Siciliano took the loss, allowing five earned runs on six hits over five innings. Gunzy was charged with five earned runs in three innings of relief.

Chris Montone pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close out the win for Rider.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 7-5 Siena victory, though Rider entered as a significant favorite with a 77.5% win probability according to the service’s ELO system.

The two teams conclude their three-game series on Sunday afternoon. Siena will look to avoid the sweep before heading to Binghamton on Tuesday. Rider, now above .500, will seek the series sweep before embarking on a road trip to Mount Saint Mary’s next weekend.