College Softball
Monmouth University 5, Rider University 0
Rider University 6, Monmouth University 5
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

WEST LONG BRANCH—Trailing 5-4, the Rider University softball team rallied with two runs in the top of the seventh inning to split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader at Monmouth University on Saturday afternoon.

Rider (6-39, 4-14 MAAC) split the two Hour Glass Rivalry games, winning the second 6-5 after losing 5-0 in the opener.

'I thought we played well in both games,” said head coach Tricia Carroll.

In the nightcap, trailing by one entering the final inning, freshman Megan McDonough (Olney, Md./Sherwood) hit a one out double to right center field and junior Allysen Breeden (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) followed with an RBI single up the middle, scoring freshman pinch runner Josettee Spencer (Hillsborough) to tie the game.  Sophomore Montana Berg (Danville, Calif./Monte Vista) then followed with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Breeden and giving Rider a 6-5 lead.

“Megan had a nice double,” Carroll said.  “Breeden came up with a clutch hit and Montana (Berg) came up huge with the game-winning RBI.  The team continues to work hard and deserved to win.”

Monmouth (19-19, 10-8 MAAC) used a walk and single in the bottom of the seventh to put runners on second and third with two outs but the Hawks could not score as Rider snapped a seven game losing streak.

Rider opened the second game with two runs in the top of the first inning, when sophomore Dana Sensi (Allentown) hit a two-run single as the Broncs started the game with four straight hits, including a double by senior Kehli Washington (Lulea, Sweden/New Rochelle).  Washington scored twice in the game.

“Kehli is looking like her old self after battling injuries all season,” Carroll said.  “She got a clutch hit and stole a base.  Getting runs early was key.  We felt like we gave them some runs but the team kept fighting back.”

Sensi hit an RBI single to shortstop in the top of the second inning, scoring Washington who reached on a fielder's choice to give Rider a 3-0 lead.  Sensi had two of Rider's 11 hits and recorded three RBI in the game.

Monmouth used a Rider error and a two-run single to get to within 3-2 in the bottom of the second inning.

The Hawks used a sacrifice fly, passed ball and run scoring groundout to plate three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as Monmouth went into the lead 5-3.

Rider got to within 5-4 in the top of the sixth inning on a Berg single, a walk and a Hawk throwing error.

Berg had two hits and scored a run in the second game.

Freshman Kaitlyn Kallert (Woodland Park/Passaic Valley) was the beneficiary of the late Rider rally, working the final two innings in relief of McDonough who started and went five innings, allowing only two earned runs.  Kallert allowed only one hit in her two scoreless innings to record her third win of the season.

“Megan and Kaitlyn both pitched well in the second game,” Carroll said.  “It was a good combined effort.”

Also for Rider in game two, sophomore Emily Cottrell (Beachwood/Toms River HS South) had two hits.

In the opener, the Broncs were held to three hits in the shutout loss.

Monmouth broke a scoreless tie with four runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth inning and the Hawks used a triple and run scoring single in the bottom of the sixth inning for the final score.

Freshman Delany DeMello (Roseville, Calif./Roseville) picked up the loss, throwing six innings and scattering seven hits while allowing five earned runs.  DeMello recorded one strikeout in the 119 pitch effort and also had one of the three hits for Rider, a single down the right field line in the second inning.

"Delany pitched well,” Carroll added.

Monmouth defeated Rider 11-3 in 2013.  The Hawks swept Rider in 2011 in West Long Branch, 4-3 and 3-0.  In 2010, the Broncs split a doubleheader, winning the opener 2-1 in West Long Branch, the first Rider win over the Hawks since 2005.  Former Northeast Conference rivals, Monmouth and Rider have now met 48 times on the softball diamond with the Broncs winning 28.  Monmouth swept two games in Lawrenceville in 2009.

The Broncs complete the 2014 season with a MAAC doubleheader at Iona College on Sunday.

“We hope to carry the energy and momentum of the win into the games on Sunday,” Carroll said.

-RU-