LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Five Broncs collected multiple hits and the Rider University softball pitching staff spun 14.0 innings of one-run ball as the Broncs swept Wagner, 3-1 and 1-0, in their home openers Tuesday afternoon at Herb & Joan Young Field. With the sweep, the Broncs improve to 11-9, while the Seahawks slip to 5-16.

The Broncs opened the Game 1 scoring in the bottom of the first with consecutive two-out doubles from Elena Gonzalez (Ashburn, VA/Stone Bridge) and Grace Stansfield (Philadelphia, PA/William Penn Charter). In the third, Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a throwing error on the play. She scored on Amanda Cooper's (Huntsville, TX/Huntsville) groundout to make it 2-0 Broncs after three.

Wagner pieced together a two-out rally to score on an infield single in the fifth, cutting the Rider lead to 2-1. The Broncs got the tally back in the bottom of the fifth, as Cooper tripled with one out and scored on Gonzalez's single up the middle. The support was enough for Rider starting pitcher Anna-Marie Groskritz (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial), who limited the Seahawks to one run on six hits and one walk over 7.0 strong innings.

In Game 1, the Broncs scratched across a run in the bottom of the fourth, with Stansfield singling, moving to second on a Laneya Wright (Tucson, AZ/Marana) sacrifice bunt and scoring on Lani Moreno's (Claremont, CA/Claremont) double to the left-center field gap to put Rider on top, 1-0. The support was all Kathryn Schmierer (Racine, WI/Racine Lutheran) would need, as she pitched the final 6.0 innings of the game without allowing a run for the victory.  

Quotes & Notes
"Our pitching was good today and kept us in both games. It's nice to take two in the home opener, but we still have a lot of work to do." – Rider Head Coach Davon Ortega

- Groskritz earned the Game 1 victory, limiting Wagner to one earned run on six hits and a walk over 7.0 innings pitched. She struck out four.
- Niegocki started Game 2 in the circle. She struck out two and allowed two hits and a hit-by-pitch in a scoreless inning of work.
- Schmierer pitched the remaining 6.0 innings of Game 2, limiting the Seahawks to three hits and a hit-by-pitch. She struck out one to earn the victory, moving to 4-1 on the season.
- Rider defeated Wagner for the first time in more than 10 years. The Seahawks had won eight straight, dating back to March 17, 2012. Rider now leads the all-time series, 20-13.
 - The Rider defense played both games without committing an error.  
- The Broncs are scheduled to return to action next Wednesday, March 30, when they play host to Lafayette for a doubleheader. First pitch from Herb & Joan Young Field is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. The twinbill continues a 14-game, seven-date homestand that runs between Tuesday, March 22 and Sunday, April 10. 

Broncs by the Numbers
- Alyssa Ansara (Waterville, OH/Anthony Wayne), Stansfield, Gonzalez and Niegocki had three hits each, while Moreno added two hits.
- Ansara went 3-for-3 in Game 1 with a stolen base.
- Stansfield, Gonzalez, Niegocki and Moreno each added doubles, while Cooper tripled to account for Rider's fie extra-base hits on the day.
- Stansfield, Gonzalez, Moreno and Cooper collected one RBI each.
- Stansfield, Gonzalez, Niegocki and Cooper each scored a run.
- Cooper, Gianna Epps (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) and Wright also added one hit apiece.
- Chaela Crowder (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) collected the only free pass issued Wagner pitching on the day, walking in Game 2.