WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. (Interstat) — PJ Craig pitched a complete game and Rider broke open a tight contest with a seven-run seventh inning to defeat Merrimack 8-2 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball championship Thursday afternoon.

Craig scattered three hits and struck out six while allowing only two earned runs in nine innings. The right-hander improved to 9-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to 2.67. He faced just 30 batters and threw 105 pitches.

The Broncs, the top seed in the tournament, improved to 30-17 overall. Merrimack, the seed, fell to 27-28.

Merrimack grabbed an early 2-1 lead on back-to-back solo home runs in the top of the second inning. Greg Cristino led off the frame with a homer to left field, and Jayden Hamilton followed with another solo shot to left. Both came off Craig, who then retired the next three batters in order and faced just one batter over the minimum from the third through the sixth innings.

Rider had taken a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Will Gallagher singled, stole third and scored on a double by Anthony Paskell.

The game remained 2-1 until the bottom of the seventh, when Rider sent 12 batters to the plate and collected seven hits. Caden Magoulick led off with a single and Nick Shuhet followed with a single through the left side. A passed ball moved both runners into scoring position, and Eliot Medlock singled through the left side to drive in Magoulick and tie the game. Peter Crespo then singled up the middle to score Shuhet and give Rider a 3-2 lead.

After Michael Leahy bunted for a single to load the bases, Gallagher singled to right to drive in Medlock. Erich Hartmann followed with a single to left to score Crespo, making it 5-2. Kyle Neri then doubled to right center, clearing the bases with a two-run double that scored Gallagher and Leahy. Paskell added a sacrifice fly to center that plated Hartmann, capping the seven-run outburst.

Craig retired the final seven Merrimack batters in order, including a pair of strikeouts in the eighth. He did not walk a batter after the fourth inning.

Merrimack’s only other hit came from Charlie Goode, a single in the third inning. Hamilton walked and stole a base but was stranded.

For Rider, Gallagher went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Shuhet had two hits. Neri finished with two RBIs.

Merrimack used four pitchers. Starter Nick Hunkele took the loss after allowing one run over six innings. He gave up four hits and struck out four.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Merrimack 8, Rider 7, while its ELO system gave Rider a 63.10 percent probability to win.