NORFOLK, VA – Grace Stansfield (Philadelphia, PA/William Penn Charter) led the Rider University softball team with four hits and five RBI's on the day as the Broncs defeated Bryant (13-2) and Norfolk State (7-1) for their second and third-straight wins Saturday afternoon at the Spartan-Pirate Clash. With the wins, the Broncs are now 4-3 on the young season.

In the first game against Bryant, the Broncs jumped ahead with a run on a walk and two base hits to begin the game. Elena Gonzalez (Ashburn, VA/Stone Bridge) delivered the run-scoring hit with a single to score Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View). Rider would add two more runs on four Bryant errors in the second to make it a 3-0 lead. After the Bulldogs got a run back in the third, the Broncs plated two in the top of the fourth on consecutive RBI doubles from Gonzalez and Stansfield. Bryant plated another single run in the fifth to make it 5-2. But the Broncs erupted for eight runs on six hits, three walks and a hit-by-pitch in the top of the seventh to put the game away.

Against Norfolk State, the Broncs again took the early lead with two runs on Stansfield's two-run single in the top of the first and Rider wouldn't look back. The Spartans scored their only run of the game on an error in the bottom of the first, but Rider tacked on two more runs in the third and three more in the sixth to take the 7-1 victory. Lani Moreno (Claremont, CA/Claremont) and Olivia Burroughs (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual) delivered run-scoring hits in the third, while a wild pitch, a Chaela Crowder (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) RBI groundout and an error accounted for the Broncs' three runs in the sixth.
 
Quotes & Notes
"These were two good wins today. Our defense remained sharp, our pitching worked hard and our offense stayed aggressive and kept the pressure on the entire day." – Rider Head Coach Davon Ortega

- The Broncs got a pair of complete-game efforts from their starting pitchers.
- Anna-Marie Groskritz (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial) allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits and four walks in picking up the win against Bryant. She struck out a career-high nine batters, eclipsing her previous career high of seven (twice in 2021).
- Kathryn Schmierer (Racine, WI/Racine Lutheran) picked up her second win in as many starts this season, limiting Norfolk State to one unearned run on four hits and one walk, striking out three over 7.0 innings.
- The Broncs wrap up play at the Spartan-Pirate Clash tomorrow, when they face UMass Lowell at 10 a.m. and Hampton at noon in Hampton, VA.    

Broncs by the Numbers
- Stansfield went 4-for-9 on the day with a double, five RBI's and two runs scored.
- Niegocki and Gonzalez each added three hits, with Niegocki scoring four time and driving in three and Gonzalez scoring three times and driving in four.
- Amanda Cooper (Huntsville, TX/Huntsville) and Moreno had two hits apiece. Moreno's two hits were a double and a triple and she drove in three. Both Cooper and Moreno scored once.
- Alyssa Ansara (Waterville, OH/Anthony Wayne), Crowder, Gianna Epps (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown), Laneya Wright (Tucson, AZ/Marana) and Burroughs had one hit each.
- Epps drove in two runs and scored once.
- Crowder had an RBI.
- Burroughs scored twice and drove in one.
- Wright scored twice.
- Ansara, Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville), Kellie Ervin (Buford, GA/Mountain View) and Brooklyn Trujillo-Quintana (Henderson, CO/Prairie View) scored once each.