March 22-23, 2025
Rider Broncs (6-17, 0-0 MAAC) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (9-10, 0-0 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Herb and Joan Young Field
Live Video – ESPN+ | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
Twitter – Twitter.com/SoftballRider

What You Need To Know
- The Rider Softball team returns to The Island for its home and MAAC openers after playing its first 23 games away from home. Rider plays host to MAAC newcomer Sacred Heart for a three-game set, with a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday, with action beginning at noon both days.
- Maddie Luedtke has led the Broncs' offense with a .325 average and six stolen bases. However, she's been sidelined since March 7.
- Fallyn Stoeckel is next at a .294 average and a team-leading .360 on-base percentage. Abby Cruz has also contributed a .280 average with a home run, five doubles and a team-best 11 RBI's.
- In the circle, Anna-Marie Groskritz has accounted for four of the Broncs' six victories, posting a 2.41 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 52.1 innings pitched. Stoeckel (2-3, 3.10 ERA, 29.1 IP) and Kathryn Schmierer (0-7, 5.82 ERA, 43.1 IP) have also given the Broncs significant innings.
- Rider earned a season-opening win over UMass (Feb. 21), before earning tournament victories at Kennesaw State (Feb. 28) and Georgia Southern (Mar. 9). The Broncs also split a doubleheader at Central Connecticut (Mar. 4) and swept a twinbill at Penn (Mar. 11).
- The Pioneers have been led by Morgan Teodosio with a .326 average, while scoring a team-best 11 runs, hitting two home runs and driving in nine. Savannah Moore has also added a .317 average and leads the Pioneers with three home runs and 13 RBI's, while Elle Leckrone has hit a team-best .408 with nine runs scored. While hitting .173, six of Nicole Henke's nine hits have gone for extra bases, including three home runs. She's driven in 10.
- In the circle, Sam Kowalski has been the Pioneers' top pitcher, posting a 1.91 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 55.0 innings pitched. Carah Sweet (2-1, 6.33 ERA, 24.1 IP) and Emily Heath (2-4, 6.86 ERA, 33.2 IP) have been Sacred Heart's next two pitching options.
- The Broncs were picked to finish third in the MAAC Preseason Poll, matching their 2024 finish in the league. Only once in at least the last 24 years has Rider been picked higher, when the Broncs were the preseason MAAC favorite in 2004. Rider was also picked third in 2005. Rider hadn't been picked higher than seventh since being tabbed fourth in 2007.  
- 2024 NFCA All-Northeast Region and All-MAAC Second Team honoree Fallyn Stoeckel returns after serving as a strong two-way player last season, ranking among the top 10 in the MAAC in batting average at .346, including a .490 clip in league games. She also made 24 appearances in the circle, including 12 starts, posting a 3.74 ERA.
- A pair of MAAC All-Rookie Team honorees also return in Kiersten Buchanan and Kendall Reda-Fehsal. Buchanan started 46 of 47 games played as the team's primary shortstop, hitting .315, finishing second on the team with 40 hits, including a team-high 10 doubles and two triples. She also added 15 runs scored and 16 RBI's. Reda-Fehsal hit .284 with five home runs to go along with a team-high 10 doubles and 28 RBI's. She also scored 17 runs and posted a .475 slugging percentage and .370 on-base percentage.
- Kristyn Gardner was also a constant for the Rider offense last season, making 36 starts in 45 games played between catcher and DP. She hit .324, good for third on the team, with three home runs, a team-high 10 doubles, 22 RBI's and 12 runs scored.
- Graduate student Anna-Marie Groskritz and senior Kathryn Schmierer lead an experience Rider pitching staff, along with Stoeckel and freshman Gabi Rodriguez. Groskritz led the Broncs in appearances (25), starts (18), wins (8), complete games (6), saves (3), innings pitched (101.2) and strikeouts (75), while finishing second in ERA (3.10). Schmierer posted a 6-5 record with a 3.43 ERA in 16 appearances, including eight starts in the circle.
- In addition to Rodriguez, Rider also welcomes eight additional newcomers in junior college transfer catcher/first baseman Vaye Savage (Midland, TX/Greenwood [Salem C.C.]), sophomore infielder Ceara O'Neal (Hamilton Square, NJ/Steinert) and freshmen outfielder Cami Johnson (Richland, NJ/Buena Regional), utility Shea Johnson (Carlsbad, CA/Cathedral Catholic), infield/utility Noelle Flail (Woolwich, NJ/Kingway Regional), second baseman/outfielder Emma Morgan (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley), utility Keegan St. Cyr (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton) and infielder Aspen Wheeler (Lampasas, TX/Lampasas). Redshirt freshman infielder Kayley York (Telford, PA/Souderton Area) will also see her first action as a Bronc after suffering a season-ending injury in Fall 2023.
- The Broncs are led by eighth-year Head Coach Davon Ortega. Rider's 28 wins in 2022 were the most in Ortega's tenure at Rider by a five-win margin (23, 2024). Following a 15-year absence, the Broncs made back-to-back MAAC Tournament appearances in 2021 and 2022 and returned in 2024.