College Softball
University of Delaware 10, Rider University 0 / 5 innings
University of Delaware 11, Rider University 3 / 6 innings

LAWRENCEVILLE—The Rider University softball team was sent to its sixth straight loss, falling to the University of Delaware 10-0 and 11-3 in non-conference action on Wednesday afternoon at Herb and Joan Young Field.

“We didn't play particularly well,” said head coach Tricia Carroll.  “They (Delaware) have big bats and they are a team that we can't give extra runners and extra outs and we did.  It is disappointing that when you play a very talented team, you don't show up and give them a game.”

Delaware had 23 hits on the day, 13 of which went for extra bases and as a team hit .404 in the doubleheader.

In the opener, Rider (6-18) was held to three hits in the shut-out loss and in the nightcap, the Broncs were held to four hits.

In game two, junior Dana Sensi (Allentown) continued her hot hitting, launching two solo home runs.

Trailing 3-0, Sensi homered over the left field fence, cutting the Bronc deficit to 3-1.

In the bottom of the third inning, junior Kim Valdes (Jupiter, Fla./King's Academy) homered off the right field foul pole to cut the Delaware lead to 7-2.  For Valdes, Rider's leading hitter at .357, it was her first home run of the season.

Sensi hit her eighth home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning for the final score and she now leads Rider with 20 runs scored and 21 RBI.

“The three home runs were nice,” Carroll added.

Former East Coast Conference rivals, Rider and Delaware have now met 55 times with the Blue Hens holding a 36-18-1 series lead, including winning the last six in a row.  Delaware swept Rider in 2014, winning 12-4 and 3-1 in Lawrenceville and the Blue Hens defeated Rider in Newark, Delaware 2-0 in 2013.

Rider and Delaware split two games in 2012 with the Broncs winning 4-0 in the opener and the Blue Hens taking the nightcap 4-1 in Lawrenceville.  During the 2011 season, the teams met in Newark when the Blue Hens won 4-1 in a rain-shortened game. 

The teams met in Lawrenceville in 2010 with Delaware winning 6-5 before the teams tied 4-4 in the nightcap.  Delaware won twice by 2-0 scores in Newark in 2009 and won 9-2 and 3-2 in Lawrenceville in 2008.

The teams are scheduled to meet again in Newark, Delaware on April 15 for a 3pm non-conference doubleheader.

After more than 20 schedule changes and cancelations, this was Rider's sixth and seventh games this week.

“We haven't been able to practice because we have been playing every day,” Carroll said.  “We have some things to work on.”

Rider hosts Iona in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday at 1pm.

-RU-