LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University softball team came from behind to win Game 1 against Marist and extend its winning streak to seven, before settling for a split against the Red Foxes Saturday afternoon at Herb & Joan Young Field. The Broncs took Game 1, 5-4, before falling in Game 2, 5-3. With the split, Rider moves to 13-23 (3-5 MAAC), while the Red Foxes are now 20-23 (7-3 MAAC).

After Marist took a 2-0 lead in Game 1 on single runs in the third and fourth innings, the Broncs evened the score on Laneya Wright's (Tucson, AZ/Marana) two-out, two-run home run to left in the bottom of the fourth. The Broncs then took the lead for good with a three-run fifth. Rider loaded the bases with one out as Niegocki was hit by a pitch, Gianna Epps (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) reached on a bunt single and Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) reached on an error. For the second-straight game, Chaela Crowder (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) contributed a pinch-hit, two-run single to give Rider a 4-2 lead and put runners on the corners. Olivia Burroughs (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual) then pushed across another run with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-2 Rider after five.

Marist got two runs back in the top of the sixth with the aid of three walks, a misplayed fly ball to left and a would-be third out on a pop up lost in the sun. But Niegocki stranded the bases loaded, preserving the one-run lead, and pitched around a one-out single in the seventh to earn the victory.  

In Game 2, the Red Foxes jumped out in front with a two-out, two-run single from Alyssa Grupp in the top of the first, before adding another run in the third on a two-out RBI single from Maddie Pleasants. The Broncs got a run back in the bottom of the fourth on Julia Harsche's (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph-by-the-Sea) RBI single to right to make it 3-1. But the Red Foxes recorded the final out of the inning on the play as Brianna Koonce (Warminster, PA/William Tennent) was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second. Marist pushed its lead back to three with an unearned run in the fifth, with an error prolonging the inning long enough for a run-scoring fielder's choice.

Rider battled back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, as Crowder began the inning with a pinch-hit single through the right side and Burroughs followed with her team-leading 12^th double of the year to put runners on second and third. Running as the flex for Crowder, Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) scored on Wright's sacrifice fly to right, while Burroughs scored on Koonce's single to the shortstop to make it a 4-3 Rider deficit. But Marist wiggled out of a second-and-third jam as pitcher Kiley Myers got Niegocki to ground to shortstop for a fielder's choice and the final out of the frame. Grupp dunked in a two-out RBI single just over the head of Niegocki at second base into shallow right center to give Marist an insurance run and a 5-3 lead.

An error put a Rider runner aboard with one out in the bottom of the seventh. But Red Foxes shortstop Sam Freeland snared Crowder's liner up the middle and completed a game-ending double play.

Notes
- Niegocki earned her team-leading sixth win of the year, allowing four of the toughest earned runs you're likely to see on seven, often misplayed-into or sun-aided, hits and five walks in the full 7.0 innings. She struck out three.  
- Niegocki has now won each of her last four starts in the circle.
- Kathryn Schmierer (Racine, WI/Racine Lutheran) started Game 2 and took the loss, allowing three earned runs on seven hits in 2.2 innings pitched. She struck out two without walking a batter.
- Stoeckel pitched the final 4.1 innings in relief, limiting the Red Foxes to two runs, one earned, on three hits and two walks. She struck out three.
- Rider's last 12 losses and 15 of its last 18 losses have come by two runs or less.  

Broncs by the Numbers
- Burroughs went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and RBI and a hit-by-pitch.
- Crowder went 2-for-3, including a pair of pinch-hit singles. She drove in two.
- Niegocki added three hits, including a double, was hit by a pitch and scored a run.
- Wright added a pair of hits, including her second home run of the year, drove in three and scored twice.
- Koonce went 2-for-6 with an RBI.
- Epps and Luedtke both added 2-for-7 efforts with a run scored.
- Harsche single and drove in a run.
- Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville) also singled.  

Up Next
The Broncs continue their homestand tomorrow afternoon when they play host to Siena. First pitch from Herb & Joan Young Field is scheduled for noon on ESPN+.