WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (Interstat) — Rider starter PJ Craig threw 5 1/3 hitless innings and the Broncs erupted for 14 runs on 17 hits Friday afternoon, routing Monmouth 14-4 at Monmouth Baseball Field.

Craig, who entered with a 7.2-inning, two-earned-run outing against Manhattan on April 17, struck out six and walked none while facing 17 batters. He retired the first 12 Hawks in order before a wild pitch and a throwing error led to an unearned run in the fifth, his final inning. Frank Papeo and Jack Ruditzky followed with scoreless relief, combining for 1 2/3 innings of one-hit, two-strikeout work, and A. D’Ambros closed with a perfect ninth.

Rider’s offense gave Craig an early cushion. In the top of the first, Will Gallagher walked and Erich Hartmann crushed a two-run homer to right-center. The Broncs added four more in the second. Evan Medlock singled, Peter Crespo doubled, and Matt Leahy doubled to left-center, driving in both runners. Leahy scored on a wild pitch, and Gallagher followed with an RBI double. Hartmann later flied out to advance Gallagher to third, but the inning ended with no further damage.

Rider expanded the lead in the third. Charley Magoulick singled, and after a lineout, Crespo belted a two-run homer to center, his second hit of the game. The Broncs broke the game open in the fourth. Gallagher walked, Hartmann walked, and a fielder’s choice loaded the bases. After a passed ball advanced the runners, Anthony Paskell reached on a fielder’s choice that forced Hartmann at home. Magoulick then singled to right, scoring Paskell and Neri, who had reached on the fielder’s choice, for a 10-0 lead.

Monmouth avoided the shutout in the fifth on a triple by Chris Walsh that scored on a throwing error. The Hawks cut the deficit further in the seventh. Nick Lovarco tripled and scored on a Jimmy Bruno single. Bruno advanced on a wild pitch and came home on a Colin Richter double that was misplayed in left field. Richter later scored on a single by Graedon Finarelli, making it 14-4.

Rider answered in the eighth when Magoulick homered to right. In the ninth, Gallagher singled in two runs and Hartmann followed with his second two-run homer of the day, finishing 2 for 5 with four RBIs. Hartmann’s two-homer game highlighted a balanced attack in which seven Broncs recorded at least one hit. Magoulick led the way at 4 for 5 with a homer and three RBIs. Crespo went 3 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs. Gallagher had two hits and three RBIs, and Leahy drove in two.

Monmouth’s seven hits were led by Jimmy Bruno’s 2-for-4 day with an RBI. Richter drove in one run. Caden Carlin threw a scoreless inning of relief for the Hawks, allowing one hit and striking out two.

Craig’s performance marked his second straight quality start and kept Rider’s bullpen fresh for the remainder of the series. The Broncs improved to 22-13 overall, while Monmouth fell to 23-17. The teams meet again Saturday and Sunday at Monmouth Baseball Field.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Monmouth 7, Rider 6, while Interstat’s ELO system gave the Broncs a 52.20 percent probability of winning.