BUIES CREEK, NC – The Rider University softball team opened the 2023 season with a pair of losses at the Campbell Camel Stampede Friday morning. Ohio University took a 3-0 win in the first game of the day, before nationally-ranked No. 14 Duke defeated the Broncs, 4-0.

Against Ohio, the Bobcats cashed in on free passes to score each of their three runs. A one-out walk in the first was cashed in on an RBI triple, before Ohio added another run in the third, getting a leadoff walk, a groundout that advanced the runner and an RBI single. In the sixth, it was a baserunner reaching on a one-out error and scoring on a double. Rider had a runner thrown out at the plate in the second and left 11 runners on base for the game.

Against Duke, a four-run third was the only scoring the game would see. A one-out walk would get things started, before three-straight base hits, a sacrifice fly and an error produced the four runs. Rider's greatest threat came when it loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth. But Duke got a ground ball to end the threat.

Quotes & Notes
"Our pitching kept us in both games today, but unfortunately timely hitting was not on our side. We had some good things happen that we can build off tomorrow, but ultimately we need to start figuring out how to score runs when we get runners on base." – Rider Head Coach Davon Ortega

- Kathryn Schmierer (Racine, WI/Racine Lutheran) started in the circle vs. Ohio and took the loss. She allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits and three walks, while striking out three in 5.1 innings pitched.
- Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) made her Rider debut, finishing the Ohio game with 1.2 scoreless innings. She allowed just one hit.
- Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) went the full 7.0 innings vs. Duke, allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks. She struck out five.
- Along with Stoeckel, freshmen Lilly Feltenberger (Marysville, PA/Susquenita), Julia Harsche (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph-by-the-Sea), Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) and Jadeyn Merrill (Lamesa, TX/Lamesa) each made their Rider debuts.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Harsche and Laneya Wright (Tucson, AZ/Marana) led the Broncs with two hits apiece on the day. Harsche also walked once to reach safely a team-best three times.
- Amanda Cooper (Huntsville, TX/Huntsville), Chaela Crowder (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) and Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville) each singled and walked.
- Niegocki and Brianna Koonce (Warminster, PA/William Tennent) also singled, while Merrill and Gianna Epps (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) reached once each on walks and Olivia Burroughs (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual) was hit by a pitch.

Up Next
The Broncs return to Campbell Camel Stampede action tomorrow, when they play Wagner at 9 a.m. and the host Camels at 11:30 a.m.