College Softball
Towson University 4, Rider University 0
East Carolina University 8, Rider University 0 / 5 innings
Hampton Inn Pirate Classic
GREENVILLE, N.C.--The Rider University softball team opened the 2013 season with two losses on the first day of the Hampton Inn Pirate Classic, hosted by East Carolina University.
Rider (0-2) lost to Towson 4-0 and to the host Pirates 8-0 in the night cap.
"Overall it was a good day," said head coach Tricia Carroll, in her 19th season at Rider. "The composure was good in both games but making a few more plays on defense would have helped."
Against the Tigers, senior Alyssa Paul (Toms River/Toms River HS East), freshman Montana Berg (Danville, Calif./Monte Vista) and sophomore Amanda Irving (Westminster, Md./Westminster) each had hits.
Tied at 0-0 in the second inning, Delanie Dunham hit a solo home run to left field, putting the Tigers ahead 1-0. Durham had two RBI for Towson in the game.
Nursing the one-run lead, Towson put together a double, two singles, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly, with a Rider error extending the inning as the Tigers plated three runs in the top of the fifth inning for the final score.
Red-shirt freshman Krista Morrone (Pipersville, Pa./Palisades) went the distance for the Broncs, recording four strikeouts and allowing no walks.
In the second game, Irving, freshman Dana Sensi (Allentown) and freshman Samantha Judd (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Westlake) each had two of Rider's nine hits but the Broncs were shut out for the second time.
"We had nine hits against ECU but didn't push across any runs," Carroll said. "That's disappointing. We had some good at-bats but couldn't score. Dana had a nice day, (Samantha) Judd had a couple of hits and we moved Amanda (Irving) to the two-spot in the lineup in the second game and she did well."
Berg started for Rider and lasted four innings, allowing eight hits and six earned runs.
East Carolina broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning, scoring five times on six hits and a Rider error.
The Pirates extended the lead to six runs, scoring once in the bottom of the third on an RBI groundout.
East Carolina ended the game on the mercy rule with a two-run home run in the fifth inning for the final score.
Each team had nine hits in the contest.
Rider stays in Greenville to play Cleveland State and Ohio University on Sunday.
"Considering we haven't been outside much and the youth of the squad, we showed some potential. I'm excited to have the team playing."
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