College Softball
Rider University 9, Stony Brook 6
Stony Brook 7, Rider University 3
LAWRENCEVILLE--The Rider University softball team split a non-conference doubleheader against Stony Brook on Easter Sunday at Herb and Joan Young Field.
In the opener, Rider (7-28) junior Rachael Matreale (Williamstown) retired the first 11 batters she faced and recorded seven strikeouts in the 9-6 victory, for her fourth win of the season.
"The energy was better today," said head coach Tricia Carroll. "We hit some balls hard and Stony Brook made some mistakes and we were positive and upbeat because we had some early success. We played hard and did some good things."
"I was pretty confident coming into the game," said Matreale who recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts against the Seawolves in a 2-1 loss last season. "We battled them hard last year and I really wanted the win today. My curve ball was working well inside and then I was able to get them out on the change up."
The Broncs broke a scoreless tie in the third inning on a two-run single by junior Samantha Mayer (Neptune). Mayer had three hits, four RBI and scored twice as Rider snapped a nine game losing streak with the win.
"The team really pulled it together in the first game," Mayer said. "Playing together as a team was really big for us. I just tried to hit strikes and move the runners around."
"Sam was good in the fact that she didn't try to do too much at the plate," Carroll said. "She had a solid approach and took what the pitchers gave her. She did a nice job of just hitting where the ball was pitched. She was patient and for her to continue to be successful, she has to remember the approach that got her there."
Rider put together five hits as part of a four-run fifth inning, including RBI singles from Mayer and freshman Lisa Blanton (Hilliard, Fla./Hilliard) and a two-run single by senior Jen Steward (Haddon Twp.), giving the Broncs a 6-0 lead. Steward and Blanton each had two hits and two RBI in game one.
Mayer and Blanton each had RBI singles in the sixth as the Broncs increased their lead to 9-2.
The Seawolves plated four runs in the seventh on three hits for the final score.
In the nightcap, senior Brittany Eckett (Jackson/Jackson Memorial) hit her third home run of the season in the 7-3 loss.
Trailing 6-0 in the fifth after a 45 minute rain delay, Rider used an RBI single by freshman Kehli Washington (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) and a balk to score twice and cut the Stony Brook lead to 6-2. Washington had two hits in the game and four hits in the doubleheader, extending her hitting streak to five games.
"We
gave Stony Brook some runs in the second game and it felt like we were
chasing them a little bit," Carroll said about trying to overcome the
six-run deficit. "That was kind of a bummer because the runs that they
got were just a little thing here and a little thing there."
Eckett's home run to left field, her second hit of the game, cut the deficit to 6-3 before the Seawolves scored one in the seventh inning for the final score. Eckett scored two of the three runs for Rider in game two.
Junior Kelsey Krisch (Parker Colo./Council Rock HS North) started and went three innings with two strikeouts, allowing four earned runs. Freshman Krysti Maronski (Woodbury Heights/GCIT) went the final four innings, allowing only one earned run while recording two strikeouts.
Rider has won six of the 10 games all-time against the Seawolves. Stony Brook swept the Broncs in New York last season 2-1 and 10-1. Rider swept the Seawolves in Greenville, North Carolina in 2004 (7-6, 2-0).
Rider hosts first place Fairfield on Monday in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader at Herb and Joan Young Field on the Lawrenceville campus at 2pm. The games against the Stags were rained out on Saturday.
"We have to play like we did in the first game," Mayer said about how the team needed to come out for the MAAC games on Monday. "We need to focus and keep our heads together and play as a team."
"We got the bats going in the first game," Matreale said. "I think we need to carry that over into the games on Monday and the rest of the conference games."
"I was happy with the day, heading into tomorrow against Fairfield," Carroll added. "We know we need to sweep but we have to play one pitch at a time. We know we are capable of playing good softball and now we have to go out and play it."
-RU-
