Siena Baseball Wins MAAC Tourney Opener [VIDEO]

The Siena baseball team pulled off a shocker in the 1st Round of the MAAC Tournament on Thursday night.

Siena upset top-seeded and defending MAAC Champion Rider, 6-3.

The Saints advance to play top-seed Manhattan in the winner’s bracket Friday night at 7:00pm.

Two-time MAAC Player of the Year Dan Paolini blasted his 55th career home run in the 9th inning.

Siena got the job done against two of the top pitchers in the conference. They scored five times against MAAC First Team selection Mike Thomas, and touched up MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year Tyler Smith for a run on Paolini’s shot in the ninth.

Siena has won 1st Round games in three straight MAAC Tournament appearances, riding the left arm of John Lannan to a 5-0 victory over Manhattan in 2005 and a outstanding offensive day to a 24-3 win over the Jaspers in 2008.

They hope history doesn’t repeat itself however, as they stumbled in their second game on both occasions.