POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Kendall Reda-Fehsal (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) hit a pair of home runs and Kathryn Schmierer (Racine, WI/Racine Lutheran) pitched a complete game as the sixth-seeded Rider University softball team won its second game of the day and advanced in the winner's bracket past third-seeded Iona, 5-2, at the 2025 MAAC Championships on Wednesday. With the win, the Broncs improve to 24-32 and will face second-seeded Fairfield tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.

The Broncs got on the board first in the top of the second as Shea Johnson (Carlsbad, CA/Cathedral Catholic) ripped a single to left to score Reda-Fehsal, who'd led off the frame with a single and went first-to-third on a Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) single.

Rider used solo home runs from Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville) and Reda-Fehsal in the third to take a 3-0 lead and extended the advantage to 4-0 in the inning as Olivia Burroughs (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual) singled, moved to second on Buchanan's walk and scored on another Johnson RBI single.

Reda-Fehsal's second home run of the afternoon in the fifth made it 5-0 Rider. Schmierer did the rest, limiting the Gaels to four hits and a walk for the game, with the lone scoring coming on a two-run home run in the seventh.

Quotes & Notes
"They were on fire. In the second game, we came ready to just hit whatever was thrown at us. We had a different level of intensity. We were ready to go."

"One at a time. That's all we've been saying. One game at a time. It doesn't matter who you play. Let's come out and do the same thing." – Rider Head Coach Davon Ortega

"I just tried to watch the ball out of her hand. I just knew we needed to get it done for our team, so I just put that in my mindset."

"The defense was great this game. We focus on it every practice. We knew we had to turn it up and have lock-down defense for Kat." – Rider sophomore first baseman Kendall Reda-Fehsal

- Schmierer earned the win in the circle, limiting Iona to two earned runs on four hits and one walk, striking out three.     
- The Broncs have won multiple games at MAAC Championships for the first time since two wins in 2004.  

Broncs by the Numbers
- Reda-Fehsal led the Broncs' offense, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and two RBI's.
- Gardner also added a home run, her team-leading eighth of the season, while also reaching on a walk.
- Johnson added a pair of RBI singles in three at bats.
- Burroughs singled and scored a run.
- Buchanan singled and walked.
- Shelby Dyer (Clarksboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) added a single.
- Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) and Abby Cruz (Corona, CA/Santiago) each reached on a walk.

Up Next
The Broncs move on to face second-seeded Fairfield on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. from Poughkeepsie.