LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Jadeyn Merrill (Lamesa, TX/Lamesa) had five hits and three RBI's and Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) added four hits and RBI's as the Rider University softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Saint Peter's Friday afternoon at Herb and Joan Young Field. With the split, the Broncs move to 7-15, while the Peacocks are now 9-11.

In Game 1, the Peacocks opened a 3-0 lead with two runs in the top of the first and a single run in the third. Saint Peter's got consecutive two-out RBI doubles in the first, before Cara McNulty led off the third with a double and scored on a Kaitlynn Peter's one-out RBI single. Rider answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Merrill led off with a double, moved to third on an infield single from Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) and scored on a Kendall Reda-Fehsal (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 3-1. Rider would threaten again in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with one out. But Saint Peter's pitcher Morgan Lipansky wiggled out of trouble, inducing a fielder's choice and a lineout that first baseman Dakota Pitts snared on a dive inside the first base line to rob Reda-Fehsal.

But the Broncs would piece together the game-winning rally in the bottom of the seventh. Laneya Wright (Tucson, AZ/Marana) led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Following a walk to pinch hitter Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville) to put runners on the corners, Luedtke ripped a two-run triple to left center to tie the game at 3-3. Merrill then put an inside-out swing on a soft line drive to right for the walk-off RBI single.

In Game 2, Niegocki looked to have gotten out the third with a lineout double play. But after the bases umpire called the runner from first out, he was overruled by the home plate umpire to extend the inning. With the new life, Cara McNulty hit a three-run home run. In the bottom of the frame, Luedtke would follow suit, driving in Merrill and Niegocki, who'd each singled earlier, with a three-run home run to left to tie the game at 3-3.

The Broncs would match their three run third with three more in the fourth. Singles from Tristen Wren (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Etiwanda) and Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) and a Buchanan steal of second set the table for Olivia Smith (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Township), who sent a slow grounder to the hole at first. Saint Peter's first baseman Dakota Pitts' only play was to try to cut Wren down at the plate, but her throw was late, giving Rider a 4-3 lead. Merrill followed with a two-out, two-run single to score Buchanan and Smith and give Rider a 6-3 lead after four.

Saint Peter's would get three-straight two-out RBI base hits in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 6-6 and retake the lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Sydney Orndorff. An error allowed another run to score, pushing the Saint Peter's lead to 8-6. In the bottom of the sixth, Buchanan singled, took second on a sacrifice bunt, third on a wild pitch and scored on a Niegocki single through the left side. But following a Merrill single to put runners on first and second, Niegocki broke for third on a delayed steal. En route to third base, she bumped into the Saint Peter's shortstop in the baseline. However, no obstruction was called and she was thrown out at third for the second out and the Peacocks would record the final out of the inning before the Broncs could do additional damage. The Peacocks tacked on an unearned run in the top of the seventh and held on for the 9-7 win.

Notes
- Anna-Marie Groskritz (Granby, CT/Granby) started Game 1 in the circle and took a no decision. She allowed three earned runs on 11 hits, striking out two.
- Kathryn Schmierer (Racine, WI/Racine Lutheran) pitched 2.0 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. She stranded an inherited runner in the sixth and limited the Peacocks to one hit and one walk, striking out two.
- Niegocki started Game 2 and took a no decision, allowing six earned runs on seven hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. She struck out four.
- Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) took the loss in relief, allowing three runs, one earned, on four hits and a walk over 2.1 innings pitched.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Luedtke and Wright entered as pinch hitters in the bottom of the fifth of Game 1, with each going 2-for-2.
- Luedtke had a two-run triple to tie the game and scored the winning run.
- Wright doubled and scored a run.
- Merrill went 2-for-3 with a double, the walk-off RBI single and a run scored in Game 1.
- Niegocki and Abby Cruz (Corona, CA/Santiago) also added one hit apiece in Game 1.
- Asiah Bell (Tucson, AZ/Canyon Del Oro [Central Ariz. Coll.]), who reentered to run for Gardner following her walk in the seventh, scored on Luedtke's two-run triple.  
- Merrill added a 3-for-4 effort in Game 2, driving in two and scoring a run.
- Niegocki also went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in Game 2.
- Luedtke homered, doubled, drove in three and scored a run in Game 2.
- Buchanan had a pair of hits and two runs scored in Game 2.
- Reda-Fehsal chipped in with two hits in Game 2.
- Wren also had a pair of hits and a run scored in Game 2.
- Smith singled, had a run scored and an RBI in Game 2.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action Tuesday, when they make the short trip up Route 206 to face Princeton in a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader on ESPN+.