NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Olivia Burroughs (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual), Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) and Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) had three hits each as the Rider University softball team split at Niagara, falling 1-0 in Game 1, before taking a 4-1 Game 2 victory. The two hottest teams in the MAAC entering today's doubleheader both carrying seven-game winning streaks, the Purple Eagles (23-18, 14-6 MAAC) stopped the Broncs' (21-25, 13-7 MAAC) streak at seven before Rider stopped the Niagara streak at eight a game later.

The Purple Eagles took Game 1 with a 1-0 walk-off win. The Broncs' best threat came in the top of the third, when Burroughs led off with a double and moved to third on a Tristen Wren (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Etiwanda) sacrifice bunt. But Niagara pitcher Maddi Hickingbottom was the beneficiary of a call on the outer edge for the second out and, after walking the next two batters to load the bases, stranded all three baserunners with a groundout.

In the seventh, the Purple Eagles would walk it off without benefit of a hit. A walk, a hit-by-pitch, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly gave Niagara the 1-0 victory.

In Game 2, the Broncs immediately struck for two runs in the top of the first and never relinquished the advantage. Stoeckel reached on an error with one out, followed by singles from Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) and Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville) to load the bases. Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) then hit a ground ball that Niagara shortstop Natasha Limbani stopped on a dive and shoveled to second for the out. Stoeckel scored from third on the play and, with the Purple Eagles attempting to complete the double play with a throw to first, Luedtke continued from second, around third and scored easily to make it 2-0 Broncs.

The Broncs tacked on two more in the second. Abby Cruz (Corona, CA/Santiago), Niegocki and Stoeckel all singled to load the bases with one out, before Luedtke was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Gardner then hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Cruz to make it 4-0 Broncs. From there, it was all Anna-Marie Groskritz (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial), who limited the Purple Eagles to a solo Saleh Moyer home run in the bottom of the seventh to secure the Rider split.

Notes
- Niegocki took the Game 1 loss, allowing just one earned run on three hits, four walks and a hit-by-pitch over 6.2 innings pitched. She struck out six.
- Groskritz went the distance in the Game 2 win, allowing just one earned run on seven hits and a walk over 7.0 innings pitched. She struck out three.
- With today's split, Niagara clinched a berth in the MAAC Championships, while the Broncs next win or one loss each for Manhattan (7-11) and Quinnipiac (7-11) would punch Rider's ticket to the tournament.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Stoeckel reached twice in Game 1 on a single and a walk before singling twice and scoring a run in Game 2.
- Niegocki went 3-for-4 with three singles and a run scored in Game 2.  
- Burroughs doubled in each game and added a single in Game 2.
- Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) and Kendall Reda-Fehsal (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) each added a single in Game 1. Two runs scored on Buchanan's fielder's choice in Game 2, while Reda-Fehsal added a single in Game 2.
- Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) reached in Game 1 on a walk, before singling, scoring a run and driving in one on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in Game 2.
- Gardner singled and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in Game 2.  
- Cruz singled, walked and scored a run in Game 2.

Up Next
The Broncs and Purple Eagles are scheduled to wrap up their three-game set on Saturday at noon, weather permitting.