LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Maddy Chain (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester City) led the Rider University softball team with three hits on the day, but the Broncs were swept by Niagara, 10-0 and 6-0, Sunday afternoon at Herb & Joan Young Field. With the losses, the Broncs slip to 6-33 (1-11 MAAC), while the Purple Eagles improve to 15-19 (6-6 MAAC). 

In Game 1, the Purple Eagles scored five runs apiece in the first and second innings to put the game out of reach. The game started ominously as Niagara's first batter, Sarah March, homered. Back-to-back doubles plated a second run before a string of two singles and an error made it 5-0. Five hits in the second inning, including a two-run homer by Bridget Hogan made it 10-0 Purple Eagles. Niagara starting pitcher Sierra Bertrand limited the Broncs to just one hit and two walks in her 4.0 innings pitched to secure the victory. 

A pair of three-run innings for Niagara sealed Game 2. Starting pitcher Jennifer Szilagyi helped her own cause with an RBI double in the second inning before two more scored on RBI singles by Sarah Trifoso and Chanelle Ward. After three scoreless frames, the Purple Eagles plated three more in the top of the sixth, including two on Ward's two-out single up the middle to make it 6-0. Szilagyi did the rest, limiting the Broncs to six hits without walking a batter in the complete-game shutout. 

“I want to thank the seniors for their four years of commitment to this program and giving 100 percent out there every single time. Coming with three pitchers, they really hold their own out there, and solid defense from Amanda and JoJo. We'll surely miss them when they're gone.” – Rider Head Coach Jaclyn Timko

 
• The Broncs celebrated Senior Day prior to the game, honoring seniors Josettee Spencer (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough), Megan Ailand (Burlingame, CA/Burlingame), Delany DeMello (Roseville, CA/Roseville), Amanda Crimarco (Levittown, NY/Kellenberg) and Kaitlyn Kallert (Woodland Park, NJ/Passaic Valley) prior to the game. 

• Kallert took the Game 1 loss in the circle, allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits in an inning-plus. 

• Ailand started Game 1 in right field, pitched 2.0 innings of relief and got her first-career plate appearance. 

• Emily Oltman (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) pitched 2.0 innings of perfect relief in Game 1, striking out two. 

• DeMello went 6.1 innings in the circle in Game 2, allowing six runs, four earned, on eight hits and six walks. She struck out three. 

• Elyse Cuttic (Easton, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) entered a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the seventh inning of Game 2 and got an infield fly and a groundout to strand three.

• Alexa Feliciano (Thousand Oaks, CA/Oak Park), Amanda Jordan (Somerset, NJ/Franklin Township), Toni Nino (Adelanto, CA/Silverado), DeMello and Monica Clark (Bryn Mawr, PA/Archbishop Carroll) had one hit each for Rider. 

• Spencer reached safely on a pair of walks in her only two plate appearances of the day in Game 1. 

• Gabby Bram (Jackson, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) also reached on a walk, while Clark was hit by a pitch to reach safely for a second time on the day. 

The Broncs return to action Wednesday, when they play host to Iona in a MAAC doubleheader. The twinbill starts at 2 p.m.