PRINCETON, NJ – Jadeyn Merrill (Lamesa, TX/Lamesa) had three hits, but Princeton swept a doubleheader from the Rider University softball team on Tuesday afternoon at Princeton Softball Stadium at Strubing Field. With the losses, the Broncs fall to 7-17, while the Tigers are now 12-9.

The Tigers got on the board first in Game 1 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Princeton's first two batters both tripled, before the second run scored on a sacrifice fly. Rider got a run back in the top of the second on a two-out RBI double from Julia Harsche (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph-by-the-Sea). A hit-by-pitch, Sonia Zhang's second triple in as many innings and an infield single pushed across two more Princeton runs to make it 4-1 after two. In the top of the third, Kendall Reda-Fehsal (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) blasted a two-out solo home run to cut the deficit to 4-2.

In the top of the fifth, the Broncs would cut the Tigers' lead to one on Kristyn Gardner's (Perryville, MD/Perryville) two-out RBI single to score pinch runner Olivia Smith (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Township), who ran for Merrill following her single to lead off the inning. But Princeton would immediately get the run back on a hit-by-pitch, sacrifice bunt and RBI single in the bottom of the frame and a throwing error on a bunt single in the sixth gave Princeton another insurance run. The Tigers would win by the same 6-3 score.

In Game 2, the Tigers immediately struck for five runs on four hits, a hit-by-pitch and a walk in the bottom of the first and added single runs on errors in the second and fourth innings. The support was more than enough for Princeton starting pitcher Meghan Harrington, who limited the Broncs to three hits and three walks over 5.0 scoreless innings. Molly Chambers closed out the game with 2.0 scoreless innings, holding Rider to two hits.  

Notes
- Kathryn Schmierer (Racine, WI/Racine Lutheran) started Game 1 in the circle and went the full 6.0 innings in defeat. She allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits, three walks and three hit-by-pitches. She struck out three.
- Anna-Marie Groskritz (Granby, CT/Granby) started Game 2 and recorded just one out. She allowed three earned runs on two hits and a hit-by-pitch.
- Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) pitched the final 5.2 innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits, three walks and three hit-by-pitches, striking out three.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Merrill led the Broncs with three hits, going 3-for-6 with three singles.
- Eight other Broncs had one hit each, including doubles from Harsche and Asiah Bell (Tucson, AZ/Canyon Del Oro [Central Ariz. Coll.]).
- Reda-Fehsal's home run was her second of the year, tying for the team lead.  
- Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) singled and scored a run.
- Shelby Dyer (Clarksboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional), Gardner, Abby Cruz (Corona, CA/Santiago) and Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) each added a single.
- Buchanan also scored a run, while Harsche and Gardner had an RBI.
- Tristen Wren (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Etiwanda) walked twice.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action Friday, when they begin MAAC play with the first two games of a three-game set against Canisius. The Friday doubleheader is set to begin at 2 p.m.