College Softball
Drexel University 8, Rider University 0 / 5 innings
Drexel University 8, Rider University 0 / 6 innings
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.--The Rider University softball team lost a non-conference doubleheader at Drexel University Tuesday afternoon in Philadelphia.
The Dragons swept Rider (1-10) by identical 8-0 scores in each game.
"We are struggling," said head coach Tricia Carroll who saw the team batting average drop to .215. "I know once the bats come around, the wins will come."
In the opener, the Broncs were held to a third inning bunt single by junior Kehli Washington (Lulea, Sweden/New Rochelle). Washington also singled in the nightcap and she now has 97 hits in her Rider career.
Drexel (5-10) took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly in the first inning and extended its lead to 5-0 with six hits in a four-run third inning.
The Dragons used a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to go ahead 6-0 and ended the game with one out in the fifth on a two-run double, with the final run unearned after a Rider error.
Red-shirt freshman Krista Morrone (Pipersville, Pa./Palisades) took the loss for the Broncs, working 4 1/3 innings with one strikeout.
Drexel had 12 hits in the opener.
In the second game, the Broncs could not overcome three errors and were held to four hits for the second Drexel shutout of the day.
Freshman Dana Sensi (Allentown) and sophomore Gina McCool (Marlton/Cherokee) each doubled for the Broncs with sophomore Amanda Irving (Westminster, Md./Westminster) adding a sixth inning single.
Drexel broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with two doubles, a Rider error and a wild pitch as the Dragons took a 3-0 lead.
The Dragons strung together four hits, including an RBI double and RBI single to open up a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Two more Rider errors and two hits by the Dragons plated three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for the final score.
Freshman Ali Meagher (Clark/Arthur L. Johnson) went 5 2/3 innings, with one strikeout and allowed six earned runs while scattering nine hits.
"We do have the youngest pitching staff in the nation," Carroll added. "But that is no excuse. We need to get better."
Before heading to Florida for the Rebel Spring Games (March 15-20), Rider plays three in a row at home, including the 2013 home opening doubleheader at Herb and Joan Young Field against Columbia on Saturday, March 9 at 1pm.
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