OMAHA, NE – The Rider University softball team fell in a pair of games to end play at the Connie Claussen Classic Monday afternoon from Omaha. Northern Colorado defeated the Broncs, 12-2, in five innings to begin the day before the host Mavericks took a 3-0 win in the second game. With the losses, the Broncs fall to 5-9.

Against Northern Colorado, the Bears scored multiple runs in each of the second, third, fourth and fifth innings to enact the mercy rule. Rider scored twice in the bottom of the fourth. Amanda Cooper (Huntsville, TX/Huntsville) singled, Tristen Wren (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Etiwanda) and Kendall Reda-Fehsal (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) were hit by pitches consecutively to load the bases and Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) and Laneya Wright (Tucson, AZ/Marana) each walked to push runs across. But the game would end after five with the Bears leading, 12-2.

Against Omaha, the Mavericks scored twice in the third on a solo home run and a sacrifice fly. They'd add another solo home run in the sixth and the support was all Omaha pitcher Tatum Montelongo would need. The freshman allowed just three hits and a walk, while striking out five in a complete-game shutout. Wren, Reda-Fehsal and Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville) collected the hits, while Shelby Dyer (Clarksboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) drew a walk.

Notes
- Jadeyn Merrill (Lamesa, TX/Lamesa) started the Northern Colorado game in the circle and took the loss, allowing four earned runs on one hit, three walks and a hit-by-pitch in 1.2 innings. She struck out one.
- Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) pitched 3.0 innings of relief, allowing eight runs, three earned, on five hits and two hit-by-pitches. She struck out one.
- Anna-Marie Groskritz (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial) recorded the Broncs' final out of the Northern Colorado game with a strikeout. She then started the Omaha game and took the loss, allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk. She struck out one.
- Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) also pitched 3.1 innings of relief against UNO, allowing one earned run on two hits, while striking out three.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Gardner led the Broncs with a pair of hits on the day.
- Cooper had a hit and a run scored.
- Niegocki, Wren and Reda-Fehsal added one hit each.
- Wren also scored a run.
- Wren and Reda-Fehsal also each reached on a hit-by-pitch.
- Dyer, Wren, Luedtke and Wright each walked once.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action in Nebraska Wednesday, when they face Creighton in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. (ET)/1 p.m. (CT).