Saturday, Apr. 2, 2022
Rider Broncs (13-9, 0-0 MAAC) vs. Fairfield Stags (6-14, 0-0 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Herb & Joan Young Field
First Pitch: 12 p.m.
Diane Fulham '89 Bullpen Dedication & Alumni Day Registration
Watch Live – ESPN3 (Game 1) (Game 2)
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
Twitter – Twitter.com/SoftballRider

Sunday, Apr. 3, 2022
Rider Broncs (13-9, 0-0 MAAC) vs. Iona Gaels (8-13, 0-0 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Herb & Joan Young Field
First Pitch: 12 p.m.
Watch Live – ESPN3 (Game 1) (Game 2)
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
Twitter – Twitter.com/SoftballRider

** Head coach Davon Ortega is seeking batgirls/batboys for the team's home games. In order to sign please visit this link: https://bit.ly/3CJPzIN. It is a commitment to the entire doubleheader. **

What You Need To Know
- The Rider Softball team opens MAAC play this weekend with a pair of home doubleheaders against Fairfield and Iona.
- With Fairfield in town on Saturday, it will be Alumni Day at Herb & Joan Young Field. There will be a pregame ceremony as the Diane Fulham '89 Bullpen is dedicated. An alumni BBQ will also be held. Those interested in attending are encouraged to Register Here.
- Throughout the Saturday doubleheader, Rider athletics marketing will slingshot PB&J sandwiches between innings in recognition of National PB&J Day.
- The Broncs are winners of their last four games, home doubleheader sweeps of Wagner and Lafayette.  
- Rider has posted a 13-9 record so far this season. Outside of a pair of lopsided losses in its first three games, Rider's losses have all been within three runs or less, while eight of its 13 wins have come by a five-run margin or more.
- Rider's wins so far this season have come against George Washington, Norfolk State (2), Bryant (2), Wagner (2), Lafayette (2), Hampton, Morehead State, East Carolina and Cornell. On March 18, Rider challenged Penn State, falling, 2-0, before being edged, 2-1, in eight innings by the Nittany Lions on March 20.
- With a .340 team batting average, the Broncs rank ninth in the nation. Jessie Niegocki leads the way at .438, good for 35^th in the nation (1^st-MAAC), while Grace Stansfield is 140^th nationally at .392 (3^rd-MAAC).
- The Broncs' most-recent Game 1 starting line-up vs. Lafayette featured all nine hitters with a .300 batting average or better, with all nine competing in at least 13 games.
- Elena Gonzalez has driven in 26 runs so far this season. Her 1.18 RBI's per game rank 21^st nationally, while her 0.36 doubles per game rank 39^th.
- As a pitcher, Niegocki's 9.4 strikeouts per seven innings also rank 52^nd.
- Amanda Cooper is also in the Top 50 nationally at 1.00 run per game (40^th).
- Fairfield leads the all-time series with Rider, 40-10. Rider snapped a streak of 17-straight Stags victories from 2011-19 with a Game 2 victory on May 3, 2019. However, Fairfield took both of the teams' meetings last season.
- Iona leads the all-time series, 26-23, including a four-game sweep last April 17-18. The Broncs swept a doubleheader in the previous meetings, May 4, 2019.
- The Broncs were picked to finish eighth in the MAAC Preseason Poll.
- Elena Gonzalez and Lani Moreno were picked to the Preseason All-MAAC Team.
- Gonzalez earned All-Region First Team honors last season, becoming the Broncs' first All-Region selection since 2004, when three Broncs – Heather Beintema, Amanda Tu (both First Team) and Maddy Boulden (Second Team) – earned the honor.
- Gonzalez and Moreno were each named to the All-MAAC First Team a year ago, again setting a first since 2004, as the duo was the first pair of Rider teammates to earn the honor. Courtney Weed, Amanda Tu and Heather Beintema each earned the honor in 2004.
- In an expanded eight-team field last year, Rider was made its first MAAC Championship appearance since 2006 and just the fourth for the program in 24 years in the league. Seventh-seeded Rider won its first game of a three-game series at second-seeded Canisius and pushed the Griffs to the brink, leading 5-1 after four innings in the decisive third game, before falling, 7-5.
- The Broncs are led by fifth-year Head Coach Davon Ortega. At 17-20 (.459) last season, Rider posted its best overall winning percentage since 2006 (24-28, .461) under Ortega's tutelage.