LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – A pair of strong pitching efforts from freshmen Emily Oltman (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) and Elyse Cuttic (Easton, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) keyed a Rider University softball doubleheader sweep over Fairleigh Dickinson Wednesday afternoon at Herb and Joan Young Field. Oltman struck out six in 5.2 innings pitched as the Broncs won Game 1, 4-2, while Cuttic hurled a complete-game seven-hit shutout in a 5-0 Game 2 victory. With the wins, the Broncs move to 6-25, while the Knights slip to 2-23. 

The Broncs scored twice in Game 1 on a Delany DeMello (Roseville, CA/Roseville) two-run single in the third and tacked on a run in the fourth when consecutive singles from Shelby Miller (Roseville, CA/Whitney) and Amanda Jordan (Somerset, NJ/Franklin Township) set the table for Josettee Spencer's (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) RBI groundout. FDU scored twice in the sixth, but aided by an insurance solo home run from Miller off the left-field foul pole in the bottom of the sixth, Megan Ailand (Burlingame, CA/Burlingame) picked up her first save of the year. 

Rider immediately jumped on FDU for four runs in the first inning of Game 2. A Monica Clark (Bryn Mawr, PA/Archbishop Carroll) walk and singles from Amanda Crimarco (Levittown, NY/Kellenberg) and Cuttic loaded the bases with one out. Alexa Feliciano's (Thousand Oaks, CA/Oak Park) RBI fielder's choice pushed across the first run, while two more runs scored on a fielding error by the shortstop. Brianna Parisio (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) singled home the final run of the inning. Crimarco gave the Broncs an insurance run with a home run to center in the bottom of the sixth and it was more than enough support for Cuttic, who got sterling defense behind her, including a run-saving full-extension diving catch from Sabrina Torres (Clifton, NJ/Paramus Catholic) to end the top of the sixth.

“Pitching and defense are now solid. It's fun to have confidence in our pitchers on the mound and they have the confidence in their defense behind them, no matter what pitch they throw.”

“That was awesome. Sabrina took a great angle. She kept our energy and that spark alive by getting that ball and putting an end to whatever momentum (FDU) had.” – Rider Head Coach Jaclyn Timko

• Oltman allowed two earned runs on six hits without walking a batter in 5.2 innings to earn the Game 1 win. She struck out six to pick up her team-leading fourth win in the circle.

• Cuttic made her first-career complete game a shutout, limiting FDU to seven hits, while walking just one batter. She struck out three. 

• Ailand picked up just the second save of her career, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings of relief in Game 1. She stranded two inherited runners in the sixth before holding FDU to a harmless two-out double in the seventh. 

• Miller's home run was the first of her collegiate career. 

• Head Coach Jaclyn Timko used two very different line-ups in each of the two games, starting six players who did not see game action in the first seven innings.

• Crimarco led the Broncs offensively, going 4-for-7 with a home run, a double, two runs scored and three RBI's.

• Crimarco joined Ellie Oruska (Chadds Ford, PA/Garnet Valley) and Clark with two home runs this season to lead the team. Her six extra-base hits and four doubles now stand alone atop the Broncs' statistics. 

• Spencer and Maddy Chain (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester City) were each successful on a stolen-base attempt to push the Broncs to 14-for-14 in stolen-base attempts on the year, before Crimarco was caught trying to steal on the pitcher following her at bat in the second inning of Game 2. 

• Eight different Broncs had a hit.

The Broncs return to action Saturday, when they play host to Fairfield in a MAAC doubleheader. The twinbill starts at 11 a.m.