College Softball
Quinnipiac University 7, Rider University 5
Quinnipiac University 3, Rider University 0
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

HAMDEN, Conn.—The Rider University softball team saw its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference playoff aspirations take a major hit, losing a MAAC doubleheader at Quinnipiac University on Sunday afternoon.

Rider (10-32, 4-12 MAAC) lost 7-5 and 3-0 and the Broncs went 0-4 on the weekend with three shutouts after being blanked twice at Siena College 3-0 and 7-0 on Saturday.

“Despite a pretty good effort, it was a disappointing weekend,” said head coach Tricia Carroll.  “We know we need to play flawless ball and take advantage of opportunities and we just didn't do that.  The surprise of the weekend was the quiet bats.”

Rider batted .255 (14/55) on Sunday and for the weekend, the Broncs hit .188 (19/101) with only two extra base hits in the four games.

For Rider in the opener, despite out-hitting the Bobcats 10-9, the Broncs could not overcome deficits of 4-0 and 7-2.

Trailing by four, junior Dana Sensi (Allentown) hit a two-run single in the top of the third, cutting the Bobcat lead in half.

Rider's leading hitter (.394), Sensi had three hits on the day and now has 50 hits for the season.

With Quinnipiac leading by five runs entering the seventh inning, Rider rallied with three runs with sophomore Amanda Crimarco (Levittown, N.Y./Kellenberg) hitting a run scoring single and junior Kim Valdes (Jupiter, Fla./King's Academy) doubling to left centerfield bringing the Broncs to within 7-5.

Sophomore Delany DeMello (Roseville, Calif./Roseville) worked a six inning complete game with four strikeouts, allowing nine hits and seven runs, five earned as the Bronc defense made two errors.

In game two, Rider was held to four hits, two by Sensi and one each by Valdes and junior Emily Cottrell (Beachwood/Toms River HS South) in the three-run loss.

Quinnipiac (14-32, 7-11 MAAC) broke a scoreless tie off Bronc sophomore pitcher Megan McDonough (Olney, Md./Sherwood) with a two-out RBI single to leftfield and the Bobcats used three hits and took advantage of two Rider errors to add two insurance runs (one unearned) in the bottom of the sixth inning.

McDonough scattered 10 hits and recorded one strikeout in six innings of work.

“Both Delany and Megan threw well enough to win,” Carroll said.  “We needed to play a little better on defense and take better advantage of the offensive opportunities we did have.  A couple more hits at the right time and we could have overcome the errors.”

Rider and Quinnipiac split two MAAC games last season with the Broncs winning the opener 8-7, rallying from a four-run deficit.  Rider is now 2-6 all-time against the Bobcats.

Due to La Salle making up a conference game, Rider's game against the Explorers is cancelled and the Broncs will now host Drexel University for Code Cranberry on Wednesday in a single game at 4pm.

The Broncs complete the regular season schedule with conference doubleheaders against Niagara University on May 2 (Cancer Awareness Day) and Canisius College May 3 (Senior Day) at Herb and Joan Young Field at 1pm.

-RU-