NASHUA, N.H. - Nathan Rivera struck out nine batters in game two as the Albertus Magnus College baseball team split a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader with Rivier on Monday afternoon. Rivier took game one, 8-4 before the Falcons won game two, 6-2.

Adriel Espada (Bridgeport, Conn.) also set the new stolen base record with his steal in game one. He had one more steal in game two and has 59 in his career. He broke the previous mark of 57 held by Vin Squeglia. Espada also scored his 100th career run on Monday in the first game.

Rivera finished game two, throwing seven innings giving up just two runs - one earned - on three hits and six walks while striking out nine. It's the second straight that start Rivera has struck out nine batters. Adam Virginelli (North Branford, Conn.) pitched two scoreless innings in relief for Albertus.

Alex Perez (Meriden, Conn.) went 2-for-4 in game two witn a double and a run while Yerison Ramirez (Bridgeport, Conn.) notched his first career, hit, run and RBI in game two. Eric Galarza (Bridgeport, Conn.) drove in two runs in game two.

Brayden Hastings (Wallingford, Conn.) went 2-for-4 in game one with an RBI. Baltazar Mesa (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

GAME 1

THE BASICS

FINAL: Rivier 8 | Albertus 4

RECORDS: Albertus (7-14, 3-8 GNAC) | Rivier (8-9, 3-2 GNAC)

BOX

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the top of the first inning, Espada reached on an error to lead off the game and later stole second, which broke the Albertus all-time stolen base record. Three batters later, with the bases loaded, O'Hara grounded out to score Espada to put Albertus ahead, 1-0. Rivier tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Liam Stott had an RBI single.
• The Falcons took their second lead of the game on an RBI single by Baltazar Mesa as his hit scored Noah Grosso, who led off the inning with a double.
• Rivier answered with seven runs in the bottom of the third to take an 8-2 lead. The first five batters reached safely and the Raiders got an RBI bunt single by Dylan Alberti as well as a two-run triple by Jayce Martinez to highlight the inning.
• Albertus scored twice in the top of the seventh, which included an RBI single by Hastings.

ON THE HILL

Albertus

Peyton Thomas (L, 0-3) 2.1 IP | 4 Hits | 8 Runs | 6 ER | 6 BB | 3 K

Joshua Santiago 3.2 IP | 2 Hits | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 1 BB | 1 K

Rivier

Nate Bonacorsi 7.0 IP | 7 HIts | 4 RUns | 4 ER | 5 BB | 5 K

AT THE PLATE

Albertus

Adriel Espada 1 BB | 1 SB | 2 Runs

Brayden Hastings 2-for-4 | 1 RBI

Noah Grosso 1-for-3 | 1 2B | 1 Run

Baltazar Mesa 2-for-3 | 1 RBI

Rivier

Jayce Martinez 1-for-2 | 1 3B | 1 Run | 2 RBI

Liam Stott 1-for-3 | 1 Run | 2 RBI

Nathan Innerfield 2-for-3 | 1 Run

Owen Medlock 1-for-3 | 1 Run | 1 RBI

Game 2 

THE BASICS

FINAL: Albertus 6 | Rivier 2

RECORDS: Albertus (8-13, 4-7 GNAC) | Rivier (8-10, 3-3 GNAC)

BOX

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a scoreless first for both teams, the Falcons got on the board in the top of the second after a passed ball scored Hastings, who reached on a fielder's choice.
• Rivera struck out the side in the second inning and one more un the third. Rivier finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI groundout from Liam Stott.
• Albertus blew the game open with five runs in the top of the fifth. Perez led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a single by Grosso. After an error by the catcher, Perez scored to give Albertus the lead once again. Mesa then followed with an RBI double and Ramirez then hit an RBI single to make it a 4-1 game. With runners on second and third and one out, Galarza ripped a two-run single to give the Falcons the 6-2 lead.
• The Raiders scored once more in the bottom of the fifth, but Rivera and Virginelli shut Rivier out the rest of the way. With runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh with one out, Rivera struck out the final two batters he faced.

ON THE HILL

Albertus

Nathan Rivera (W, 2-0) 3 Hits | 2 Runs | 1 ER | 6 BB | 9 K

Adam Virginelli 2.0 IP | 0 Hits | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 1 BB | 0 K

Rivier

Jake O'Connor (L, 0-3) 5.0 IP | 8 Hits | 6 Runs | 4 ER | 1 BB | 3 K

EJ Baker 4.0 IP | 0 Hits | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 0 BB | 6 K

AT THE PLATE

Albertus

Alex Perez 2-for-4 | 1 Run

Eric Galarza 1-for-4 | 2 RBI

Yerison Ramirez 1-for-3 | 1 Run | 1 RBI

Rivier

Owen Medlock 2-for-3 | 2 SB | 1 Run

UP NEXT

The Falcons will go on the road Tuesday to take on Wesleyan at 4 p.m. in a non-conference game.