Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Rider Broncs (8-22, 2-3 MAAC) vs. Iona Gaels (11-12, 5-1 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Herb and Joan Young Field
Live Video – BroncVision
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
Twitter – Twitter.com/SoftballRider

What You Need To Know
- The Rider Softball team returns to The Island Tuesday, when it takes on Iona in a conference doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
- The Broncs are looking to stop a four-game skid after taking 2-of-3 in their MAAC-opening series vs. Sacred Heart on March 22-23.
- Maddie Luedtke lead the Broncs' offense with a .325 average and six stolen bases, but has been sidelined since March 7 due to injury. Abby Cruz is next at .296 with three home runs and a team-high 15 RBI's, while Shea Johnson has chipped in at .291 with a team-high three triples to go along with five stolen bases and eight runs scored. Fallyn Stoeckel (.280, team-high 11 runs) and Kristyn Gardner (.271, team-high four HR, 12 RBI's) have also been major offensive contributors.
- In the circle, Anna-Marie Groskritz has accounted for four of the Broncs' eight victories, posting a 2.16 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 58.1 innings pitched. Stoeckel (2-4, 3.78 ERA, 29.2 IP) and Kathryn Schmierer (2-9, 4.69 ERA, 71.2 IP) have also given the Broncs significant innings.
- Gardner erupted for four hits, including two home runs and five RBI's in a doubleheader at Army West Point (Mar. 26).
- 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). Most recently, they won 2-of-3 in their MAAC and home-opening series vs. Sacred Heart (Mar. 22-23).
- The Gaels have been led offensively by Brooke Acker, who's hit .388 with 10 extra-base hits, including three home runs, to go along with 17 RBI's. Hailey Guerrero has also hit .343 with 10 home runs, 18 RBI's and 20 runs scored. Brianna Bailey has also chipped in, hitting .281 with 12 RBI's and 11 runs scored.  
- In the circle, Allison Hoppe and Samantha Rieb have combined to pitch 133.0 of Iona's 152.2 innings this season. Hoppe has posted a 6-5 record with a 2.86 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 73.1 innings pitched. Rieb has chipped in with a 5-5 mark with a 4.34 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 59.2 IP.
- 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.