College Softball
Rider University 7, Siena College 1
Siena College 6, Rider University 4 (8 innings)
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
LAWRENCEVILLE--The Rider University softball team split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader against Siena on Sunday afternoon at Herb and Joan Young Field on the Lawrenceville campus.
"We played so well today," said head coach Tricia Carroll. "We had some great at-bats and we did an awesome job to fight and come back. I'm proud of the effort. They left everything on the field and that's all I can ask for."
In the opener, sophomore Rachael Matreale (Williamstown) threw a complete game two-hitter with seven strikeouts as Rider won 7-1.
"Rachael showed toughness today that I was happy to see," Carroll said. "Her effort this weekend shows that she has the capability to be successful on this level. Her, being able to battle through today, this should be a confidence booster."
The Broncs took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on the third home run of the season by freshman Heather Muscara (North Bellmore, N.Y./Mepham).
After Siena (12-35, 5-7 MAAC) tied it in the third, Rider (14-31-1, 6-8 MAAC) took a 2-1 lead on a solo home run from junior Brittany Eckett (Jackson/Jackson Memorial), her team leading 10th of the season.
The Broncs put the game away with five runs in the sixth inning, the biggest hit a two-run double to left center by sophomore Lucy Higgins (Westminster, Mass./Notre Dame Academy). Higgins had three hits on the day, including two doubles.
In the nightcap, Rider took a 2-0 first inning lead on an RBI single from Eckett and a steal of home.
Siena took advantage of three Rider errors to tie the game at 2-2 in the second inning.
The Saints went up 3-2 in the fifth inning on an RBI groundout and made the score 4-2 in the sixth on a two out RBI single to right field.
Senior Candice Harris (Henderson, Nev./Coronado) celebrated senior day with a two out, two-run double to left center, tying the game at 4-4 and sending the contest to extra innings. Harris had three hits on the day and moved into 24th place on Rider's all-time hit list with 141.
"My last at-bat, I was trying to stay within myself and make something happen," Harris said. "We knew it was a big day. Rachael pitched great and we hit the ball well. In the second game, we did the same thing but made a few costly mistakes. At the end of the day, we could not have fought any harder. We showed what we could do as a team and unfortunately, fell a little short."
Siena used three hits to plate two runs in the eighth and escaped a bases loaded jam to win the game.
Matreale took the loss, working a complete game with two strikeouts.
Also for Rider, senior Ally Melia (Toms River/Toms River HS North) had four hits and two stolen bases on Sunday, scoring three times with freshman Sam Pugh (Elkton, Md./Elkton) adding three hits.
"We played two really great games today," Melia said. "We worked hard and kept fighting but unfortunately, came up short in the second game."
Melia, Harris, and fellow seniors Megan Kozlowski (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock HS North) and Derrin Minunni (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker) were honored in between games on Sunday as part of the graduating class of 2010.
"I was a good day and a fun experience at Rider," said Melia about her two years as a Bronc after transferring in.
"It's been great," Harris said about her four years as a Bronc. "This season, we had the talent and the opportunity to make the playoffs, going into the last weekend of the schedule is still there and we need to bring the positives of today into next weekend."
"Candice is a player who just gets it," Carroll said. "She has been an excellent leader and understands the game. She has fun but also brings her best effort all the time and that type of player is contagious. She is competitive and never quits and we are going to miss that. I'm proud that all of the seniors and the rest of the team left it all on the field."
Rider and Siena have now met 26 times with the Broncs winning 16. Last season, the teams split two games in Loudonville, New York with Rider sweeping the Saints in Lawrenceville in 2008.
The Broncs are off until May 9 when they travel to Fairfield for a MAAC doubleheader at 1:00pm. Currently holding fourth place, the Stags (7-5 MAAC) have Manhattan and the fifth place Broncs (6-8 MAAC) next weekend to finish out the regular season schedule. Rider would have to have the Jaspers at least split with Fairfield and then the Broncs would have to sweep Fairfield to make the playoffs.
"We have to work hard in practice the next five or six days," Melia added. "We still have a chance and we need to take advantage of the opportunity and get two wins next Sunday."
"We expect to go into Fairfield and get two wins," Carroll said. "Hopefully the games will matter but even if they don't you want to put your best effort on the field and try to win the games."
The top four teams qualify for the conference championships at Canisius May 13-16.
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