College Softball
Columbia University 3, Rider University 2 / 8 innings
Rider University 9, Columbia University 3

LAWRENCEVILLE—Junior Dana Sensi (Allentown) and senior Allysen Breeden (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) each had four hits with Sensi homering twice on Tuesday as the Rider University softball team split a non-conference doubleheader against Columbia University at Herb and Joan Young Field.

Rider (10-28) won the second game 9-3 after losing the opener 3-2.

“We got some runners on base and some timely hits,” said head coach Tricia Carroll.  “Pop ups, anyone can defend and we put the ball in play and put runners on and that got us some insurance runs.”

“Our team got a lot of hits today and Ally (Breeden), she has been on fire lately,” said Sensi.  “Columbia is always a great team so it is good to get a win against them.”

Freshman Jayme Zeilman (Newfield/Delsea Regional) picked up her first career win, throwing a complete game, scattering 12 hits.

“Jayme did well,” Carroll said.  “She did a great job and got a bunch of ground balls.  Just a couple of balls were hit hard.  And she is a only a freshman.”

In the second game, Sensi hit a run-scoring single to left field, scoring senior Amanda Irving (Westminster, Md./Westminster) who led off the game with a single.

Irving scored twice in the second game.

Columbia used three hits to tie the game in the top of the third inning before Rider responded with a three-run home run by Breeden, her fifth of the season, as Rider retook the lead 4-1.

Liz Caggiano homered for Columbia in the top of the fourth inning and she connected again for her second of the game to cut the Bronc lead to 4-3 in the top of the sixth inning.

After a bases loaded walk to junior Kim Valdes (Jupiter, Fla./King's Academy) forced in a run, Sensi followed with a grand slam, her second home of the day and team-leading 12th of the season giving the Broncs a 9-3 lead.  Sensi, who leads Rider in every offensive category, finished the day with six RBI.

“Both pitchers had solid outings,” Sensi said.  “The opening game, the defense was a little sloppy and that cost us because Megan should have gotten the win.  In the second game, Jayme did well and got us the victory.”

In the opener, despite a two-out home run by Sensi that tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, Columbia used a one-out home run to right field to escape with a 3-2 win in eight innings.

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, senior Gina McCool (Marlton/Cherokee) and Breeden hit back to back two out doubles, cutting the Bronc deficit to 2-1.

Sophomore Megan Ailand (Burlingame, Calif./Burlingame) threw an eight-inning complete game, scattering 10 hits and allowing two earned runs.

“Megan did well,” said Carroll.  “Really one mistake on the home run but her and Jayme are going to give us a lot of depth as we head back into conference play.”

With the doubleheader split, Bronc head coach Tricia Carroll now has 399 career wins in 21 seasons.

Columbia has won 23 times in the 37-game series history that began in 2001

Rider and Columbia last met on March 23, 2014 when the Broncs were swept 7-4 and 5-1 in New York.  In 2013, the Lions took three of four games from Rider, splitting a doubleheader in Lawrenceville and winning two times at the Rebel Spring Games in Florida.

Rider travels to Siena College on Saturday for a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader.
“There is parity in the conference,” Carroll said.  “We need to play one pitch at a time and win every pitch.  You need to be mentally present every single pitch.  We've had some close games and we will be ready.”

-RU-