Saturday-Sunday, April 12-13, 2025
Rider Broncs (11-26, 5-7 MAAC) vs. Merrimack Warriors (7-20, 4-6 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Herb and Joan Young Field
Live Video – BroncVision – Saturday | Sunday
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
Twitter – Twitter.com/SoftballRider

What You Need To Know
- The Rider Softball team returns to The Island this weekend, when it takes on Merrimack in a conference series. Due to the weather forecast, one game beginning at 4 p.m. will be played Saturday, before a noon doubleheader on Sunday.  
- The Broncs are winners of their last three, including the final game of a series at Canisius (Apr. 5) and an April 9 doubleheader sweep at Mount St. Mary's.
- In the sweep at Mount St. Mary's, the Broncs took a 5-0 win in Game 1 on the strength of a complete-game shutout with 10 strikeouts from Anna-Marie Groskritz. Rider immediately erupted for 13 runs in the top of the first of Game 2 en route to an 18-4 victory for the sweep. The 13 runs were the Broncs' most in a single inning since March 13, 2022 (vs. Morehead State) and the 18 runs for the game were Rider's most since an 18-4 win over Cleveland State on March 10, 2023.
- Four Broncs had at least four hits in the sweep at Mount St. Mary's, led by Kristyn Gardner with a 5-for-8 performance with four doubles, four runs scored and two RBI's. Kendall Reda-Fehsal and Olivia Burroughs had four hits apiece, with five and four RBI's, respectively. Abby Cruz also contributed four hits and four runs scored. Kiersten Buchanan chipped in with three hits, including a grand slam to drove in a team-high six runs.   
- Maddie Luedtke leads the Broncs' offense with a .325 average and six stolen bases, but has been sidelined since March 7 due to injury. Kristyn Gardner is next at .316 with a team-high 10 doubles, five home runs and 17 RBI's to go along with 11 runs scored. Abby Cruz is right behind Gardner at a .313 average and 16 RBI's, adding eight doubles, three home runs and nine runs scored. Fallyn Stoeckel has chipped in with a team-high 15 runs scored out of the leadoff spot, hitting .279 with eight doubles and eight RBI's.
- In the circle, Anna-Marie Groskritz has accounted for five of the Broncs' 11 victories, posting a 2.66 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 76.1 innings pitched. Stoeckel (3-4, 3.73 ERA, 35.2 IP) and Kathryn Schmierer (3-11, 4.14 ERA, 93.0 IP) have also given the Broncs significant innings.
- Ellen Hubbard is the Warriors' table setter atop the order, hitting .393 with a team-high 16 runs scored. Gabby Kaduson has hit .270 with a team-high three home runs and 13 RBI's. Thiana Brito has also been a solid offensive contributor, hitting .349 with five extra-base hits and 10 runs scored.   
- In the circle, Anna Gedacht has been the Warriors' top pitcher with a 4-8 record and a 3.30 ERA, striking out 42 over 76.1 innings pitched. Emma Prahin (3-3, 3.93 ERA, 29K, 35.2 IP) and Sarah Shurtleff (0-3, 4.82 ERA, 25K, 40.2 IP) have also made significant contributions to the pitching staff.
- 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 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.