College Softball
Lafayette College 7, Rider University 5
Rider University 6, Lafayette College 0 / 5 innings
LAWRENCEVILLE?When you are battling through a losing streak to open the season, sometimes you just need a senior (and team captain) to step up. And that's exactly what senior co-captain Lauren Brunner did after the Broncs lost in the last inning of game one on Wednesday; she stepped up.
“I was pleased that we came back in the second game,” said head coach Tricia Carroll. “I was not pleased at all with the effort in the first game. To come back after a tough loss, in the last inning, and post a shutout, that was the kind of effort that I wanted for both games.”
Brunner (Chino, Calif./Chino) tossed a five inning, complete game two-hitter as the Rider University softball team salvaged a non-conference doubleheader split against Lafayette at Herb and Joan Young Field in the 2009 home opener.
“I don't think it was just me,” Brunner said as she hurried off to night class. “It was the whole team picking it up after what happened in the first game. I'm a captain and a leader and I just came out and did what I had to do. With that said, my teammates made all of the plays behind me.”
“Lauren is a good pitcher,” said Carroll. “She throws hard and mixes her speed and she pitches smart. And it helped that the defense made the plays behind her. Lauren will keep us in games and if we get her a few runs, she will be successful.”
Brunner recorded three strikeouts as Rider (1-7) broke a seven-game losing streak giving the Broncs their first win of the season.
In the night cap, Rider used three walks, a Lafayette error and a two-run single from sophomore Brittany Eckett (Jackson/Jackson Memorial) to take a 4-0, first inning lead. Eckett had three hits on the day including two in the second game after hitting her first home run of the season in the opener.
“I thought all the girls came back fighting and continued hitting the ball hard and consistent,” Brunner added. “The first game was a hard loss but everyone needs to understand that kind of stuff will happen. We need to keep our heads up and know that we have to come back and want it more than whoever we are playing.”
Senior Katy Mills (Seattle, Wash./Mount Rainier) hit a two-run home run in the third inning, her first of the season to give the Broncs a 6-0 lead.
The game was ended by darkness after 4 ? innings of play.
In the first game, trailing 5-4 in the seventh, after back to back singles, Lafayette's Kristin Garganio hit a three-run home run with one out to give the Leopards the come from behind win. “I went out there right before Garganio hit and I was going to pull Rachael [Matreale],” Carroll said. “She said she wanted to finish the game and that's the confidence you want your pitcher to have. Hopefully she learned from that. It was a disappointing loss.”
For Rider, junior Derrin Minunni (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker) had three hits with junior Candice Harris (Las Vegas, Nev./Coronado) doubling twice.
Freshman Rachael Matreale (Williamstown) recorded four strikeouts while allowing five earned runs in seven innings of work.
“We had chances to win both games,” Carroll said. “We had two crucial errors in the first game that not only led to unearned runs, it cycled Lafayette's line up around and setup the winning home run. When you have opportunities to get outs, you need to get them. Rachael will be fine. She is still making that adjustment to the college game.”
The teams last met on April 1, 2008 when the Leopards swept a doubleheader in Easton, Pennsylvania, 8-0 and 9-1. Rider leads the all-time series 41-14.
The Broncs travel to Florida for the Rebel Spring Games March 15-21. Rider opens with Colgate and Fairleigh Dickinson on March 15.
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