College Softball
North Carolina A&T 3, Rider University 0
North Carolina A&T Invitational
Maronski/Centeno All-Tournament
GREENSBORO, N.C.--Freshman Lisa Blanton (Hilliard, Fla./Hilliard) had two of Rider's seven hits as the Broncs lost 3-0 to the host Aggies on the final day of the North Carolina A&T Invitational.
For Rider (0-4), junior Rachael Matreale (Williamstown) went the distance recording six strikeouts.
"Rachael pitched fine," said head coach Tricia Carroll. "We just didn't get the bats going."
N.C. A&T (3-5) used a one out RBI triple to right center to break a scoreless tie in the third inning.
Leading 1-0 in the seventh, the Aggies used a two-run triple with two outs for the final score as Rider stranded seven base runners in the game.
"We had base runners but didn't get them around," Carroll said. "We ran ourselves out of a few innings and we are not the kind of team that can pass up those opportunities. Overall it was good to get out there and play. The energy was good today but one run for the weekend isn't quite going to get it done."
Also for the Broncs, freshman Kehli Washington (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle), senior Sam Bennett (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville), junior Samantha Mayer (Neptune), junior Lucy Higgins (Westminster, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) and sophomore Sam Pugh (Elkton, Md./Elkton) each had singles.
Higgins had three of Rider's 15 hits during the tournament, batting .273 as the Broncs were held to a .143 overall batting average for the weekend.
Rider was out-scored 16-1 in the four games with Matreale recording 12 strikeouts in three appearances (two starts).
"I thought Rachael pitched well for the entire weekend," Carroll added. "And Krysti Maronski (Woodbury Heights/Gloucester County Inst. of Technology) also threw well in the 1-0 extra inning loss against Presbyterian so there were some positives for the weekend."
Maronski allowed only one unearned run in her complete game outing and was named to the all-tournament team along with senior Amanda Centeno (Ventura, Calif./Buena) who had Rider's only extra base hit of the tournament.
The Broncs travel to Fairfax, Virginia for the George Mason Invitational against Cornell and the host Patriots of GMU March 4-6.
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