BUFFALO, NY – The seventh-seeded Rider University softball team built a 5-1 lead in the decisive third game of its MAAC Championship opening round series at second-seeded Canisius, but the Griffs scored three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to take a 7-5 win Sunday at the Demske Sports Complex. With the loss, the Broncs conclude their season at 17-20, while the Griffs (24-12) move on to host the remainder of the tournament, beginning Thursday.
The Broncs immediately plated a run in the first as
Kelsey Marigliano (Seaford, NY/Plainedge) reached on a bunt single, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on an error to make it 1-0 after a half inning. Canisius evened the score with a double and an RBI single in the second.
Rider scored four runs in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead.
Lani Moreno (Claremont, CA/Claremont) and
Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) each singled to put runners on first and second, before
Chaela Crowder (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) chopped an RBI single up the middle to give the Broncs the lead. A walk to
Brianna Koonce (Warminster, PA/William Tennent) loaded the bases before
Gianna Epps (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) drove in a run with a single through the right side.
Alyssa Ansara's (Waterville, OH/Anthony Wayne) fielder's choice to the second baseman then drove in two. Conceding the first run on the play, Griffs second baseman Kara Paradowski took it to the bag herself for the force. But a hustling Epps slid hard into second base, undercutting Paradowski and allowing Koonce, who started the play on second base, to score, making it 5-1 Rider after three and a half innings.
Canisius got a walk and two two-out singles to load the bases for Morgan Altman in the bottom of the fifth, before she hit a bases-clearing double to left to cut the Broncs' lead to 5-4. Gianna Fazzolari singled off third base and Lindsi Dennis leaned into a pitch to load the bases again. But
Anna-Marie Groskritz (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial) won a 10-pitch battle with Sydney Costan, getting her to pop out in foul ground to first base to maintain Rider's one-run lead.
In the sixth, Canisius evened the score with two hits and an error on a fielder's choice to open the inning. Groskritz was able to get a shallow flyout to center for the first out, but Paradowski followed with a two-run single up the middle to give Canisius a 7-5 lead.
Debra Jones (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown) came on to record the final two outs without allowing any further damage. But the Broncs went down in order in the seventh as the Griffs closed out the win.
Notes
- Rider was making its first MAAC Championship appearance since 2006 and just the fourth for the program in 24 years in the league.
- The Broncs' 17 wins tied for the most for the program since 2012 (20-33-1, .380 winning percentage) and their .459 winning percentage is the best in the program since 2006 (24-28, .462 winning percentage).
- Groskritz took the loss, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits and two walks over 5.1 innings pitched. She struck out six.
- Jones recorded the final two outs without allowing a hit, walking one.
- As the top remaining seed after top-seeded Monmouth fell in both games Friday against eighth-seeded Marist, Canisius will now host the remainder of the tournament, a four-team, double-elimination format to begin Thursday.
Broncs by the Numbers
- Marigliano, Niegocki and Crowder each had two hits and a run scored for Rider. Crowder also drove in one.
- Ansara and Epps each had one RBI.
- Moreno added a hit and a run scored.
- Koonce walked an scored a run.
