College Softball
Rider University 4, Canisius College 3
Canisius College 13, Rider University 3 / 6 innings
LAWRENCEVILLE-The Rider University softball team ended the 2011 season by splitting a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader against Canisius Saturday afternoon at Herb and Joan Young Field.
"With all of what happened to us this year with all of the injuries, we could have mailed it in and we didn't," said head coach Tricia Carroll. "That is very encouraging heading into next season."
For Rider (9-37, 2-14 MAAC) in game one, senior Amanda Centeno (Ventura, Calif./Buena) and sophomore Alyssa Paul (Toms River/Toms River HS East) each had two hits.
"There was a lot of high emotion today," said Centeno, who graduates with 134 hits in 156 games. "There was excitement and nervousness, sadness and it was a little bittersweet. I think the younger players fed off our energy today and it felt good for us to get a win."
Trailing 1-0, the Broncs tied the game at one in the first inning on an RBI single by sophomore Sam Pugh (Elkton, Md./Elkton), scoring Paul who had reached on an error.
"Alyssa's bat really came around for us over the last several weeks," Carroll said. "And Sam (Pugh) battled for us as well."
Junior Samantha Mayer (Neptune) hit a two-run single in the third inning as Rider took a 3-1 lead.
Junior Lucy Higgins (Westminster, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, increasing the Bronc lead to 4-1.
Canisius (20-21, 7-9 MAAC) scored once in the sixth and seventh innings to make the score 4-3.
Junior Rachael Matreale (Williamstown) worked out of a bases loaded jam in the final inning, allowing only that one run in the final frame to pick up her fifth win of the season.
Matreale recorded nine strikeouts and scattered 10 hits as the Golden Griffins out-hit Rider by two in the game. Canisius left 15 runners on base.
"We competed very well in the first game," said Carroll. "We made big plays when we needed to make them and if we would have done some of that earlier in the season, maybe we get some early momentum and things turn out a little different."
Canisius jumped out to a 4-0 first inning lead in game two before the Broncs got on the board on a Pugh RBI single in the bottom half of the inning.
Trailing 7-1, Rider scored once in the third inning on a Golden Griffin error and Rider made it 10-3 in the fifth inning when Paul hit a fielder's choice. Paul had two of Rider's six hits in game two.
Canisius scored three times in the sixth inning for the final score.
Senior Sam Bennett (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) went the first four innings, recording two strikeouts in her final career start.
"It felt good for us to get at least a split today and go out with a win," Bennett, a 47 game veteran said. "This was a great group to graduate with and a good way to go out today."
Freshman Krysti Maronski (Woodbury Heights/GCIT) worked the final two innings for Rider.
Canisius has won 23 of the 36 games in the series that started in 1991. The Golden Griffins swept Rider in Buffalo last season and the teams split a MAAC doubleheader in Lawrenceville in 2009.
"The seniors showed up and worked hard," Carroll added. "They have a huge passion for the game and they will be missed. I wish them the best. They are exceptional people."
Between games, Rider honored its graduating class of 2011, Centeno, Jen Steward (Haddon Twp.), Brittany Eckett (Jackson/Jackson Memorial) and Bennett.
"My two seasons were great," Steward, a transfer from Philadelphia Biblical University said. "It was really important for us to leave it all on the field today and we did. Being at Rider has been such a great experience."
"Even though I battled injuries this season, it never hurt me inside," Eckett, a 178 game veteran said. "I was still able to talk my teammates up and help them and show them what to do. My four years went by really quick and the four seniors left it all out there. We led, not with our words but with our actions."
"I'm going to miss this group of seniors," Carroll said. "They worked hard and showed up every day. They were always coachable and I feel they leave the program, knowing that they did their best. They always competed hard and never quit."
Almost 250 fans were in attendance as Rider celebrated both alumni day and fan appreciation day.
"The crowd was great," said Carroll. "I love it when the alumni come back and they have really been supporting us all season. We have a good group supporting us and it was nice to see everyone today, including players from my first recruiting class over 17 seasons ago. It means a lot to me and to the program."
Rider returns 12 letterwinners for the 2012 season.
"I don't want to over look the job that my staff did this season," Carroll added about her assistants, all Rider grads in Heather Beintema, Courtney Lawrence and Jamie Farley. "Their love for Rider helped all the way around. They never gave up on the team and kept the players working hard to get better. That effort was huge."
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