GREENSBORO, NC -  The Rider University softball team got solid pitching from freshmen Brooklyn Trujillo (Henderson, Co/ Prairie View) and sophomore Debra Jones (Bordentown, NJ/ Bordentown), but fell to Brown 2-0, in their first game at the North Carolina A&T Aggie Invitational Friday morning. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 0-10, while the Bears improve to 2-3.

The Bears struck first by scoring in the second on a Grace Ladd single to center and extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth on a Katie O'Leary sac fly. Trujillo kept it close for the Broncs, going three solid innings and limiting the Bears to two runs. In relief, Jones shut the Bears down, adding three more innings of scoreless ball with two strikeouts.

In the top of the seventh, Rider's Sam Ward (Bridgewater, NJ/ Bridgewater Raritan) doubled to left center to put the tying run at the plate. However, the Bears pitching would close out the game without allowing a Rider run.

NOTES
- Trujillo and Jones each went three innings in the circle.
- Trujillo allowed two earned runs on four hits and a walk.
- Jones allowed just one hit and one run, striking out two without allowing a run to cross.
- The Broncs return to Aggie Invitational action Saturday, when they face Alabama A&M at 9:30 a.m. and the host Aggies at noon.
 
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Rider had four hits in the game, one each from Kelsey Marigliano (Seaford, NY/Plainledge), Melanie Wilkinson (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South), Ward and Rachael Zeides (Woodbine, NJ/Ocean City).
- Grace Stansfield (Philadelphia, PA/William Penn Charter) and Lani Moreno (Claremont, CA/Claremont) also reached safely with a hit-by-pitch and a walk, respectively.