Saturday, Apr. 9, 2022
Rider Broncs (17-11, 3-1 MAAC) vs. Canisius Golden Griffins (12-13, 2-2 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Herb & Joan Young Field
First Pitch: 12 p.m.
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
Twitter – Twitter.com/SoftballRider

Sunday, Apr. 10, 2022
Senior Day
Rider Broncs (17-11, 3-1 MAAC) vs. Niagara Purple Eagles (8-11, 4-0 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Herb & Joan Young Field
First Pitch: 12 p.m.
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 plays host to MAAC foes Canisius and Niagara for doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
- Prior to Sunday's doubleheader, the Broncs will celebrate Senior Day, as the games are the Broncs' final home weekend contests of the season. The Broncs will honor their six graduating seniors – Gianna Epps, Elena Gonzalez, Lani Moreno, Grace Stansfield, Brooklyn Trujillo-Quintana and Kaitlin Vazquez.
- This weekend is island themed. All fans are welcome to wear Hawaiian shirts. The marketing staff will pass out lei upon arrival to all fans both days. All music during downtime will be island themed.
- Following the game Sunday, fans are invited to take to the outfield to play catch. Please bring your own ball and glove.
- The Broncs had won seven-straight games, including their first seven at home, prior to a nine-inning setback in Game 2 vs. Iona on April 4. Most recently, they split a Wednesday twinbill with Drexel.  
- Jessie Niegocki threw the first Rider no hitter in nearly 10 years on Apr. 2 vs. Fairfield. The five-inning no-no was the first since Rachael Matreale also threw a five-inning no-hitter on Apr. 7, 2012, against Saint Peter's. Niegocki's no hitter was the 15^th in Rider Softball history.
- For her effort, Niegocki was named MAAC Pitcher of the Week, joining teammate Anna-Marie Groskritz (Mar. 22) in earning the honor this season.
- Rider has posted a 17-11 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 nine of its 17 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), Fairfield (2), Iona, Drexel, 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.
- Rider's 17 wins match last year's total, as well as Davon Ortega's team's total from 2018. The last time Rider eclipsed 17 wins was 2012 (20), while the program record is 35 (1994, 2004).
- On March 11 vs. Bryant, Lani Moreno got her 100^th career hit and now has 115. Grace Stansfield stands three hits shy of the plateau, while Elena Gonzalez is also chasing 100, currently standing on 81.
- With a .327 team batting average, the Broncs rank 15^th in the nation and first in the MAAC. Jessie Niegocki leads the way at .416, good for 63^rd in the nation (1^st-MAAC), while Grace Stansfield is 82^nd nationally at .407 (2^nd-MAAC).
- Elena Gonzalez has driven in 29 runs so far this season. Her 1.04 RBI's per game rank 45^th nationally, while her 0.32 doubles per game rank 71^st.
- As a pitcher, Niegocki's 8.7 strikeouts per seven innings also rank 74^th.
- The Rider pitching staff's collective 2.30 earned run average ranks 28^th nationally.  
- Canisius leads the all-time series with Rider, 40-17, including five of seven meetings last season. The Broncs won the opener of their three-game MAAC Championship-opening series in Buffalo and led late into Game 3. But the Griffs pulled out the series and advanced to the semifinals.
- Niagara leads the series with the Broncs, 29-23. However, the Broncs took three of four from the Purple Eagles to open 2021 and split in the prior two twinbills in 2018 and 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.