LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ –
Elyse Cuttic (Easton, PA/Bethlehem Catholic),
Kelsey Marigliano (Seaford, NY/Plainledge) and
Lani Moreno (Claremont, CA/Claremont) had two hits each and
Debra Jones (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown) didn't allow an earned run in Game 2, but the Rider University softball team was swept in a doubleheader by Lehigh Wednesday afternoon. With the losses, the Broncs fall to 5-29, while the Mountain Hawks are now 14-21.
Lehigh scored single runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings of Game 1, but the big inning came in the second, when the Mountain Hawks posted six runs. Lehigh did its damage on 13 hits and a walk. Rider got single hits from Marigliano,
Grace Stansfield (Philadelphia, PA/William Penn Charter), Cuttic, Moreno and
Gabby Bram (Jackson, NJ/Red Bank Catholic), but couldn't push a run across.
Scoreless through three in Game 2, Lehigh got a pair of unearned runs in the fourth inning on a two-out error. The Broncs cut the deficit in half on Cuttic's solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and Moreno singled to put the tying run on base. But Lehigh pitcher Gabriella Nori induced a groundout to end the game.
QUOTES & NOTES
"We got an excellent pitching performance from Deb. Anytime you get a performance like that, it keeps you in the game. We did a really good job of bouncing back and staying in the game."
"We talked about momentum carrying us into the weekend going into playing Saint Peter's and Manhattan. The momentum started. We didn't get the win, but it feels good. The team is starting to come together as a team. We're starting to see better pitching performances from multiple pitchers and I think the bats are slowly starting to come around. I think we're starting to put everything together, which is our plan."
– Rider Head Coach Davon Ortega
- Rider got a pair of complete-game efforts from its starting pitchers – the third of the year for Jones and the second for Cuttic.
- Cuttic took the Game 1 loss, allowing nine runs, seven earned, on 13 hits and a walk.
- Jones did not allow an earned run, allowing just two unearned on seven hits and two walks, while striking out one.
- Rider Head Coach
Davon Ortega, a Lehigh alum, was coaching against her former coach, Fran Troyan.
- The Broncs return to action Saturday, when they travel to Saint Peter's. First pitch of the doubleheader from Jersey City is scheduled for noon.
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Rider had eight hits on the day, including two each from Cuttic, Marigliano and Moreno, and one each from Bram and Stansfield.
- Cuttic's home run was her first of the year and the seventh of her career after a six-home run campaign a season ago.
- Lehigh's pitching staff did not issue a free pass – walk or hit-by-pitch – the whole day. The Mountain Hawks also committed just one fielding error.
