College Softball
Siena College 2, Rider University 1 / 9 innings
Siena College 9, Rider University 3
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y.--The Rider University softball team was swept in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader on Sunday in Loudonville.
In the opener, Siena used a walk off walk with the bases loaded to win 2-1 in nine innings.
In the bottom of the ninth, with two out, the Saints loaded the bases on a hit by pitch, infield single and a walk with the game ending on the second walk of the inning.
Rider had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with no outs but had the go ahead run erased two times on force plays at the plate.
Junior Rachael Matreale (Williamstown) had six strikeouts in the complete game effort but yielded seven walks while allowing five hits.
"Rachael pitched awesome," said head coach Tricia Carroll. "We had chances to break the game open and didn't. Siena did a nice job late in the game shutting us down."
Trailing 1-0, Rider tied the score in the top of the fifth inning on an error, wild pitch and RBI single by senior Jen Steward (Haddon Township). Steward and junior Lucy Higgins (Westminster, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) each had two of Rider's seven hits in the opener. Each team had ample opportunities with Rider leaving 10 on base and Siena leaving 12 on base.
In the nightcap, Steward scored twice and Higgins had two more hits as the Broncs lost 9-3.
Siena (13-18, 2-4 MAAC) jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead off of Matreale who made her second start of the day.
Rider (6-22, 1-5 MAAC) got one back in the top of the second on an RBI single by Higgins before the Saints made it 4-1 after two innings.
The Broncs got to within 4-2 in the third inning when Steward scored as a Rider runner was thrown out trying to steal second base.
The Saints followed a Rider error with a three-run home run in the fourth to open up a 7-2 lead.
Senior Amanda Centeno (Ventura, Calif./Buena) hit an RBI double in the fifth to bring the Broncs to within four (7-3) before the Saints scored single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings for the final score.
"Jen (Steward) and Amanda (Centeno) were solid all day," said Carroll. "And Lucy (Higgins) came up with some nice hits."
Also for Rider, freshman Kehli Washington (New Rochelle, N.Y.) had two hits in the doubleheader. "Kehli continues to be a bright spot for us," Carroll added.
Rider has won 16 of the 28 games in the all-time series. In 2010, Rider and Siena split two games in Lawrenceville with the Broncs winning 7-1 before losing 6-4 in extra innings. In 2009 in Loudonville, Rider again won the opener (7-1) before losing 6-4 in extra innings in the nightcap. The Broncs swept the Saints in 2008, winning 5-4 and 6-2 in Lawrenceville.
Rider travels to Delaware for a doubleheader on April 13.
"Being 1-5 with only 10 conference games left really puts us behind the eight ball," Carroll said. "It is gut check time."
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