College Softball
Iona College 8, Rider University 0 / 5 innings
Iona College 11, Rider University 3 / 5 innings

NEW ROCHELLE—The Rider University softball season came to an end as the Broncs were swept in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader at Iona College on Sunday afternoon.

The Gales won both games in five innings, 8-0 and 11-3.

“Iona has big bats and they showed up today,” said head coach Tricia Carroll who completed her 20th season.  “This team has fought hard all year.   They worked hard and have been fun to coach.  It is difficult for me to see such quality people work so hard and continue to come up short in the win column.  They are a competitive bunch and I know they will do all in their power to have a successful 2015 season.”

In the nightcap, trailing 10-0 in the fifth inning, Rider (6-41, 3-17 MAAC) scored three times on an error, bases loaded walk and sacrifice fly by freshman Megan McDonough (Olney, Md./Sherwood).

Iona ended the game in the bottom of the fifth inning on a solo home run.

For the Broncs in game two, playing in her final collegiate game, senior Mary Rossi (Trenton/Ewing) went two for two with a run scored.

Rider senior Kehli Washington (Lulea, Sweden/New Rochelle) had one hit in the doubleheader and she finished her 183-game career with 172 hits, 13th best all-time at Rider.

“We are going to miss Kehli and Mary,” Carroll said.  “Sharing the day to day triumphs and struggles creates a special bond.  I feel a little cheated since Mary was only with us for two years. Four years flies by and two seasons is just a blink.”

Freshman Megan Ailand (Burlingame, Calif./Burlingame) went two innings for Rider with freshman Kaitlyn Kallert (Woodland Park/Passaic Valley) working the final 2 2/3 innings.

In the opener, Rider was held to two hits in the 8-0 loss to the Gaels.

Iona broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with a grand slam and the Gaels were credited with a three-run single when the batter missed second base.

The Gaels used a bases loaded hit by pitch, three-run double and RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning to plate five runs and end the game early on the eight-run mercy rule.

Freshman Delany DeMello (Roseville, Calif./Roseville) pitched 4 2/3 innings, scattering 10 hits and allowing eight earned runs.

Junior Amanda Irving (Westminster, Md./Westminster) and junior Allysen Breeden (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) each had singles for Rider.

Rider and Iona split two games in Lawrenceville last season with the Broncs winning 10-6 in the opener before the Gaels won game two 10-5.  Rider and Iona split two games in New Rochelle, New York in 2012 with the Broncs winning 1-0 and losing 5-3 in the second game.  Iona swept Rider 6-0 and 2-1 in 2011 in Lawrenceville and the Gaels won both games in New Rochelle (1-0 and 11-1) in 2010.  Rider has won 18 of the 35 games all-time in the series.  The teams split in Lawrenceville in 2009 with Rider winning the second game 4-3.

Rider returns 16 letterwinners for the 2015 season.

-RU-