College Softball
Rider University 8, Quinnipiac University 7
Quinnipiac University 12, Rider University 1 / 5 innings
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Doubleheader

LAWRENCEVILLE—Rider rallied from a four-run deficit in the opener to defeat Quinnipiac 8-7 on a grand slam by sophomore Emily Cottrell (Beachwood/Toms River HS South) with no outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, as the Broncs split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader on Sunday at Herb and Joan Young Field.

“This team knows it can hit,” said head coach Tricia Carroll.  “We've had some well hit balls that don't show up in the box score and we know if we keep hitting the ball like that, they will begin to fall.  I'm proud of how we competed and just kept playing and playing.  I like that we are scrappy and that we work hard.”

For Cottrell it was her second home run of the season, snapping Rider's 17-game losing streak and in grand fashion, snapped a 1 for 20 stretch at the plate.

“Emily put a good swing on the pitch,” Carroll said.  “She kept after it and made an adjustment and put the ball over the fence.”

“I've never had a game-winning home run and it felt really good,” said Cottrell.  “We all have the ability and we just haven't been getting that timely hit and today, I was able to come through for the team.  We knew we needed the win and we focused on keeping the energy level high.  We talked about how much we wanted the victory and finally, it all came together for us.”

Quinnipiac won the night cap 12-1, belting five home runs in the second game, while compiling 15 hits.

“The second game, Quinnipiac hit the ball and scored a bunch of runs,” Carroll said.  “For the weekend, we really competed in three of the four games and could have very easily had a 3-1 stretch instead of 1-3.  We are getting runners on base and just not getting that timely hit so there is some frustration there.”

Trailing 7-3 in the opener, freshman Megan McDonough (Olney, Md./Sherwood) led off the decisive sixth inning with a walk, freshman Amanda Crimarco (Levittown, N.Y./Kellenberg) singled to right field and junior Amanda Irving (Westminster, Md./Westminster) followed with a single to right field to score McDonough and cut the deficit to 7-4. 

Freshman Delany DeMello (Roseville, Calif./Roseville) then singled to load the bases and setup the heroics by Cottrell.

Quinnipiac hit two home runs in the first inning as the Bobcats rapped out four hits to open the game with a 4-0 lead

“Delany struggled in the opening inning but settled down,” said Carroll.

Irving led off the bottom of the first inning with a double but the Broncs could not get her around.  The Broncs left eight runners on base in the opener.

Rider cut the Bobcat lead in half when Crimarco hit an RBI single with Rider getting its second run on a throwing error.  Junior Gina McCool (Marlton/Cherokee) hit a two out single and McDonough walked to spark the rally.

Quinnipiac had three hits, including an RBI single with two outs in the third inning, increasing its lead to 5-2.

Rider put the first two runners on base in the bottom of the fourth inning when McCool and McDonough each singled and after a Quinnipiac error, Irving hit a sacrifice fly to right field, cutting the Bobcat lead to 5-3.

The Bobcats got that run back on a two out walk and RBI double in the top of the fifth inning, making the score 6-3.

The Bobcats hit their third home run of the game, a solo shot over the left field fence with one out in the top of the sixth inning as Quinnipiac increased its lead to 7-3.

“We would get a run and chip away at the deficit and Quinnipiac would answer right back about the opener,” Carroll said.  “We just kept chasing them so that we had the opportunity to win the game.”

DeMello started and went all seven innings, recording one strikeout, scattering 11 hits to record her first career win.

The second game was all Quinnipiac as the Bobcats jumped on Rider starter, freshman Kaitlyn Kallert (Woodland Park/Passaic Valley) for four runs in the second inning.

Crimarco hit an RBI single, scoring McCool as Rider plated its first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning but the Bobcats added five runs in the third inning, one in the fourth and two in the fifth inning for the final score.

“Our pitching got a little beat up in the second game,” Carroll added.  “When you make mistakes, teams are going to hit them hard and put them over the fence.”

This is the first time that Rider and Quinnipiac have met in softball in MAAC play with the Bobcats joining the conference this season.

Rider is now 2-4 against the Bobcats, having last defeated Quinnipiac during the 2000 season.

The Broncs travel to Saint Joseph's for a non-conference game on Wednesday before hosting Villanova on Thursday in Lawrenceville.

“I'm glad we have a couple single games this week,” Carroll said.  “We schedule tough teams to make us better prepared for conference play as we face Fairfield and Marist this coming weekend.”

“We competed well yesterday and also today,” Cottrell said.  “We feel we can do some damage as we move forward into the conference schedule.  We play hard and compete and hopefully, things will fall our way soon.”

-RU-