POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Down in the sixth inning or later twice, the Rider University softball team came back twice to sweep Marist Sunday afternoon with a 3-2 win in Game 1 and a 5-3 decision in Game 2. With the two wins, the Broncs improve to 27-22-1 (10-8 MAAC), while the Red Foxes slip to 21-27 (9-9 MAAC).

In Game 1, the Red Foxes got a Caroline Baratta home run in the first to take the early lead before the Broncs evened the score in the third with Kaitlin Vazquez (Howell, NJ/Donovan Catholic [Brookdale C.C.]) leading off with a single, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt, taking third on a Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) single and scoring on an Amanda Cooper (Huntsville, TX/Huntsville) sacrifice fly.

Marist retook the lead with a Maddie Pleasants home run to lead off the bottom of the fifth and maintained the lead into the seventh, before the Broncs struck for the tying and go-ahead runs on RBI singles from Niegocki and Laneya Wright (Tucson, AZ/Marana). Vazquez got the rally started with a leadoff bunt single before moving to second on Elena Gonzalez's (Ashburn, VA/Stone Bridge) second successful sacrifice of the game. Pinch runner Alyssa Ansara (Waterville, OH/Anthony Wayne) then scored on Niegocki's single and following a Grace Stansfield (Philadelphia, PA/William Penn Charter) single to put runners on the corners, Wright delivered what proved to be the game-winning RBI single with two out in the inning. Niegocki then worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh in the circle, including a pair of strikeouts to end it.

Marist took a 3-0 lead in Game 2 with a solo home run in the third and two more in the fifth on a pair of hits, a sacrifice fly and an error. But the Broncs pieced together a five-run rally with two out in the top of the sixth. Wright delivered a two-run single to score two, before Chaela Crowder's (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) single tied the game at 3-3. Lani Moreno (Claremont, CA/Claremont) punctuated the rally with a go-ahead two-run double to put the Broncs on top, 5-3. Relief pitcher Brooklyn Trujillo-Quintana (Henderson, CO/Prairie View) made the support hold up, closing out the victory.

Notes
- Niegocki went the distance in the circle in Game 1, allowing two earned runs on five hits and a walk, while matching her career high of 10 strikeouts.
- Trujillo-Quintana picked up the Game 2 win in relief of starter Kathryn Schmierer (Racine, WI/Racine Lutheran). She went the final 5.0 innings and limited Marist to two runs, one earned, on four hits, a walk and two hit-by-pitches. She struck out three.
- Schmierer went 2.0 innings in the Game 2 start, allowing one earned run on four hits and a walk.
- Rider cut Marist's lead in the all-time series to 44-23. The sweep is the first against Marist since 2010 at Herb & Joan Young Field.
- The Broncs return to action Wednesday, when they travel to intrastate foe Seton Hall for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.     

Broncs by the Numbers
- Wright led the Broncs at the plate, going 5-for-8 with a run scored and three RBI's.
- Niegocki added a 4-for-8 effort with two runs scored and an RBI.
- Crowder and Vazquez added three hits apiece. Crowder drove in a run, while Vazquez scored twice.
- Stansfield added a pair of hits and a walk.
- Moreno doubled and drove in two.
- Gianna Epps (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) added a hit.
- Cooper scored a run and drove in one.