College Baseball: Rider Signs Six

LAWRENCEVILLE - Rider University baseball coach Barry Davis has signed six players for his 2014 roster.

Committing to Rider were outfielder Giovanni Gussen of Mullica Hill, N.J., infielder Tyler Kaiser of Moorestown, N.J., third baseman Nick Richter of Fox River Grove, Ill., pitcher Ben Deaver of Fallston, Md., pitcher Josh Sharik of Ewing, N.J., and pitcher Mike Diorio of Middletown, N.J.

"As with every recruiting class, we have to replace our seniors and we have met that objective," Davis said.  "This group has tremendous potential that will most likely be fairly evaluated at the conclusion of the 2015 season."

Gussen is a senior at Gloucester Catholic, where batted .465 as a junior for the 2012 non-public A State Champions and earned Second Team All-Courier Post honors.

Kaiser, a senior at Moorestown High School, batted .333 last year with a .474 on base percentage as a third baseman. He scored 24 runs in 23 games, leading his squad to the Burlington County Scholastic League Championship in 2012.

Richter comes to Rider from McHenry County College, where he earned Freshman of the Year honors, batting .356 with 68 hits and 54 runs scored. The third baseman stole 28 bases (of 30) to earn First Team All-Skyway Conference honors.  At Cary-Grove High School, Richter batted a conference-best .464 as a senior after leading his team to the Fox Valley Conference Championship as a junior. Also an All-Conference basketball player, Richter was named his school's Athlete of the Year.

Deaver is a right-hander pitcher at Calvert Hall College, where he was 4-0 last year with three saves, leading his team to a 30-6 record. He struck out 37 in 36 innings and owned a 3.31 earned run average. Two of his saves came in the MIAA playoffs. His team was ranked number one in the Baltimore Area and 13th in the nation.

Sharik is a senior right-hander at Plumstead Christian School. Last year he was 6-2 with a 1.87 earned run average, compiling 95 strikeouts in 53 innings. He pitched a no-hitter and in a two-hitter had 17 strikeouts. He was a Carpenter Cup selection who owned a .532 batting average.

Diorio is a senior left-hander at Middletown South High School, and compiled a 2.14 earned run average last year for the A North Divisional Champs.  His sophomore year his team was the 2011 Central Jersey Group III Champions and the Monmouth County champions 

"This group has great character with an above average work ethic," Davis said. "Based on my past experiences, that combination will win games."