BUFFALO, NY – Aspen Wheeler (Lampasas, TX/Lampasas) had two hits and two RBI's and Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville) added two hits and an RBI as the Rider University softball team won the final game of a three-game MAAC series at Canisius, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Broncs improve to 9-26 (3-7 MAAC), while the Griffs fall to 14-16 (4-4 MAAC).

The Broncs struck for two runs in the top of the first as Keegan St. Cyr (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton) led off with a walk, Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) followed with a double and Gardner drove in St. Cyr with the first run on a single to right. Olivia Burroughs (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual) drove in Buchanan with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 after a half inning.

Rider added two more runs in the third, taking advantage of a pair of errors and a walk to load the bases before Wheeler delivered a two-out, two-run single to left to score two and make it a 4-0 Rider lead.

Rider starting pitcher Gabi Rodriguez (Chula Vista, CA/Olympian) worked out of trouble twice in the first three innings, getting a foul pop and a flyout to end a 1^st-and-3^rd threat with one out in the first and a 5-3 double play to escape a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the third.   

The Griffs would finally get to Rodriguez for a double and a two-run home run to begin the top of the fourth and Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) replaced Rodriguez in the circle. Canisius got an unearned run in the fifth to cut the Broncs' lead to 4-3 and threatened in the sixth with a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt putting runners on second and third with one out. But Stoeckel got a groundout back to her in the circle and induced an inning-ending pop out to end the threat. She also limited Canisius to just a one-out single in the seventh to close out the victory.  

Notes
- Rodriguez started the game and allowed two earned runs on six hits and a walk over 3.0-plus innings pitched.
- Stoeckel pitched 4.0 innings of relief to pick up the win. She scattered seven hits in allowing just one unearned run, striking out two.  

Broncs by the Numbers
- Wheeler went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and two RBI's.
- Gardner also added a pair of singles in a 2-for-4 effort, driving in one.
- Buchanan doubled and scored twice.
- Abby Cruz (Corona, CA/Santiago) walked twice and scored a run.
- St. Cyr also walked and scored a run.
- Burroughs drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action Tuesday, when they travel to Mount St. Mary's for a league doubleheader. First pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Emmitsburg, MD.