BETHLEHEM, PA – Olivia Burroughs (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual), Brianna Koonce (Warminster, PA/William Tennent) and Grace Stansfield (Philadelphia, PA/William Penn Charter) had two hits each, but the Rider University softball team was swept in a non-conference Easter Sunday doubleheader at Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks enacted the mercy rule in Game 1, winning 11-3 in six innings, before edging the Broncs, 5-4, in Game 2. With the losses, the Broncs fall to 23-15, while the Mountain Hawks improve to 18-13-1.

Lehigh scored three runs in the second and two more in the third to jump out to a 5-0 lead in Game 1. Rider fought back with three unearned runs in the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-3 after two runs scored on a throwing error on a would-be third out in the frame. Kaitlin Vazquez (Howell, NJ/Donovan Catholic [Brookdale C.C.])  followed with an RBI double for the third run.

But Lehigh continued to score with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, three in the fifth and the final run to abbreviate the game at 11-3 in the sixth.

The Mountain Hawks scored first in Game 2 with a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first, before a throwing error on Vazquez's at bat in the second plated Lani Moreno (Claremont, CA/Claremont). Lehigh retook the lead with a pair of RBI doubles in the third, before pushing the advantage to 5-1 with two more runs in the fifth. Rider put a big dent in the Lehigh advantage with three runs in the sixth. Moreno was hit by a pitch and Grace Stansfield (Philadelphia, PA/William Penn Charter) followed with a single, before Burroughs delivered a two-out, three-run home run to make it 5-4 Mountain Hawks. But only one more Bronc would reach base safely and Lehigh closed out the sweep.

Notes
- Anna-Marie Groskritz (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial) started Game 1 and took the loss. She allowed four earned runs on six hits and two walks in 3.1 innings pitched.
- Brooklyn Trujillo-Quintana (Henderson, CO/Prairie View) started Game 2 in the circle and took the loss, allowing five runs, four earned, on 10 hits and a walk in 4.0 innings pitched. She struck out one.
- Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) kept the game close with 2.0 innings of scoreless relief in Game 2, allowing just one hit and one walk, while striking out three.
- Lehigh closed Rider's lead in the all-time series to 30-25. The Mountain Hawks have won nine-straight against Rider.  
- The Broncs return to action Wednesday, when they travel to Baltimore to take on Morgan State in a non-conference doubleheader with Morgan State. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.    

Broncs by the Numbers
- Burroughs, Koonce and Stansfield had two hits each, with Burroughs delivering a three-run home run.
- Stansfield scored a run.
- Moreno doubled and scored three runs.
- Vazquez also doubled and drove in two.
- Elena Gonzalez (Ashburn, VA/Stone Bridge) contributed a hit and a run.
- Alyssa Ansara (Waterville, OH/Anthony Wayne) and Niegocki also chipped in with a hit.
- Laneya Wright (Tucson, AZ/Marana) also scored a run.
- Lehigh was successful on 5-of-6 stolen-base attempts Sunday.