LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) lined a two-out, two-run, walk-off triple as the Rider University softball team defeated Fairfield, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at Herb & Joan Young Field. With the win, the Broncs (17-24, 9-6 MAAC) seep the three-game set with the Stags (10-29, 7-11 MAAC).

The Stags struck first in the top of the second, getting a runner on with a leadoff walk, moving her to second on a sacrifice bunt, then third on a groundout. Danica Silvestri then beat out a grounder to the 5/6 hole to plate the first run of the game. Rider would respond in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with no outs. Fairfield managed to get the first two outs without any damage, but Laneya Wright (Tucson, AZ/Marana) delivered a two-out, two-run single inside the bag at third to give Rider a 2-1 lead after three.

Fairfield tied the game in the top of the fifth on a two-out RBI single from Allie Bridgman, before taking the lead, 3-2, on a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Stags relief pitcher Bailey Taylor set the Broncs down in order in the sixth and got the first two outs in the seventh, before Rider worked its two-out magic to walk it off. Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) lined a double to right center, before Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville) walked to put the winning run on base. Olivia Smith (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Township) would pinch run at first and score the winning run on Buchanan's lined two-out, two-run, walk-off triple to right.
 
Quotes & Notes
"We've talked all season about peaking at the right time and putting everything together. We still haven't done that completely. But I think we started chipping away at that today."

"I like what we did from the pitching side of things. We really brought energy and kept ourselves in games. We really attacked their batters and that was something we hadn't done. We went right out the gate. The hitters, we're starting to attack. We're hitting the ball hard. Even our outs are hard hits. Those are big, big takeaways. People getting confidence. Different people making things happen. So that's good for us."  – Rider Head Coach Davon Ortega

"I think the first couple of at bats, I hit it really hard, but it just had to find a hole. That last time, all I cared about was doing it for the team. Me and Jadeyn have a saying, 'hold my hoop.' So just take care of business right now. I didn't really care where the pitch was. I was going to put it deep and I did."  – Rider freshman shortstop Kiersten Buchanan

- Anna-Marie Groskritz (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial) went the distance in the circle to earn the win. She allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits and a walk over 7.0 innings. She struck out five.
- Prior to the game, the Broncs honored their three-member senior class of Groskritz, Wright and Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) on Senior Day.   

Broncs by the Numbers
- Wright went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI's.
- Luedtke added a 2-for-3 effort with a double, a walk and two runs scored.
- Gardner also went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles, a walk and a run scored.
- Buchanan tripled and drove in two.
- Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) singled and walked.
- Niegocki also added a single.
- Smith scored the winning run as a pinch runner.
- Olivia Burroughs (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual) reached once on a walk.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action Tuesday, when they begin a three-game MAAC series against Mount St. Mary's. First pitch of the Tuesday twinbill is scheduled for 2 p.m., before action wraps up Wednesday with a single 2 p.m. start.