College Softball
Saint Joseph's University 1, Rider University 0 (8)
Rider University 4, Saint Joseph's University 2
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.--The Rider University softball team split two games against Saint Joseph's University on Wednesday afternoon, winning the nightcap 4-2 after losing the opener 1-0 in extra innings.
"We hung tough and played hard against a very solid Saint Joseph's ball club," said head coach Tricia Carroll. "It would have been nice to win both but an extra inning loss to the Hawks is nothing to be ashamed of."
Tied at 1-1 in the fifth inning of the second game, Rider (6-15-1) freshman Gina McCool (Marlton/Cherokee) hit an RBI single to break the deadlock and eventually scored on a Saint Joseph's error, giving the Broncs a 3-1 lead.
McCool had two of Rider's eight hits in the second game.
The Hawks cut the Bronc lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI double but could get no closer.
Freshman Allysen Breeden (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) hit an RBI double, scoring junior Heather Muscara (North Bellmore, N.Y./Mepham) with the final run of the game in the top of the seventh.
Breeden had two hits in the doubleheader with Muscara scoring twice.
Breeden has reached base safely in six straight games.
Junior Alyssa Paul (Toms River/Toms River HS East) led off the second game with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly from junior Sam Pugh (Elkton, Md./Elkton) as Rider went ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning.
The Hawks used an infield hit, a walk, a stolen base and an RBI double to tie the score at 1-1 after one inning.
Sophomore Krysti Maronski (Woodbury Heights/GCIT) started for Rider and recorded four strikeouts for her first win of the season.
"Krysti pitched great," Carroll said. "We had some nice at-bats from Gina (McCool) and Ally (Breeden) and Heather (Muscara) scored a couple of runs and got some innings started for the offense. Krysti's last two games were heartbreakers (3-0 and 1-0 losses) so it was nice to see her get the win."
In the opener, Rider was held hitless until the top of the seventh and managed only two hits overall in a 1-0 extra-inning loss.
Senior Rachael Matreale (Williamstown) went the distance, recording nine strikeouts while scattering seven hits.
Saint Joseph's led off the eighth inning with a double and with one out, Maria Ficca broke the scoreless tie by lining a two strike pitch to centerfield to plate the winning run.
Breeden broke up the no-hit bid by Hawk pitcher Erin Gallagher with one out in the top of the seventh. Gallagher finished with five strikeouts and allowed no walks in the complete game effort for her fourth win of the season.
"The first game was a very good game," Carroll said. "We were facing Saint Joseph's best pitcher. Rachael pitched very well and had nine strikeouts. Both pitchers did what they were supposed to do, we just couldn't get that clutch hit when we needed it and they did. It was a tough one to lose."
Freshman Lauren Davies (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley) launched a one out double to leftfield in the top of the eighth inning for the only other Bronc hit in the opener.
After 21 seasons playing games off campus (since 1990), today's doubleheader was the first for the Hawks at their new James J. Maguire '58 campus facility with over 500 fans in attendance.
"What a first class facility," Carroll said. "The field was awesome and this was a long time coming for them. It was a nice gesture being their first opponent on the new field after all of the games that we've had to move to our field if their old field was unplayable due to weather. The facility is impressive."
The new field features an industry-standard, state-of-the-art AstroTurf 3D GameDay Grass surface, the same synthetic surface in use at Major League stadiums such as Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, and the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario.
The Broncs lost to the Hawks 6-1 in 2011 in a game moved to Lawrenceville due to wet field conditions.
The teams have now split 18 games in the series that started in 1989. Rider last defeated the Hawks in 2006 before today's doubleheader split.
Rider travels back to Philadelphia for the Penn Spring Invitational, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Quakers Friday through Sunday.
Weather permitting, the Broncs play Army on Friday and Penn and Villanova on Saturday with the consolation and championship games scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
"We want to continue to get better over the weekend and continue to get quality at-bats," Carroll added. "We have some veteran players that we need to produce more. Either they are hitting it right at the defense or they are struggling to put the ball in play and we need to get everyone on track as we head into conference play at the end of the month. We HAVE to capitalize on every opportunity that we get."
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