College Softball
Niagara University 7, Rider University 2
Niagara University 4, Rider University 3
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. ? The Rider University softball team was swept by Niagara University in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader Saturday. "We competed,” said head coach Tricia Carroll. “[The players] are showing some guts and determination. It's just not falling for us this year. We had a lot of chances; we just were unable to get the hits when we needed them.”
In the opener, sophomore Candice Harris (Las Vegas, Nev./Coronado) gave the Broncs the lead on the first pitch of the game hitting a home run to left field. Harris finished the day with two hits.
Niagara (27-19, 13-3 MAAC) was able to get a 2-1 lead in the third. Rider (12-32, 4-10 MAAC) came back in the fourth to tie it off an RBI single by sophomore Derrin Minunni (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker) scoring sophomore Megan Kozlowski (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock-North).
Kozlowski led the Broncs with four hits.
“The first game was great until the fifth and sixth innings,” said Carroll. “[Niagara] has a lot of offensive power. They can score a lot of runs.”
The Purple Eagles scored five runs in the fifth and sixth innings to seal the victory.
In game two, junior Katy Mills (Seattle, Wash./Mount Rainier) hit a two-out, RBI double to left center to score freshman Brittany Eckett (Jackson/Jackson Memorial) tying the game 1-1 in the second.
In the sixth, senior Aimee Schiller (Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) had an RBI single to right center to take the lead 3-2 after senior Tiffany Day-Neutill (Agoura Hills, Calif./Oaks Christian) lead off with a homerun to left field to tie the game.
Junior Lauren Brunner (Chino, Calif./Chino) pitched six and one-third innings giving up two earned runs and striking out three. Brunner also finished the day with two hits.
Rider stays in Western New York for a MAAC doubleheader on Sunday at Canisius, beginning at 11:00am.
“We've got to make sure we play hard,” adds Carroll. “We want to make sure we get something out of tomorrow and take something positive into the off season.”
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