NORFOLK, VA – The Rider University softball team opened the 2026 season Friday the Norfolk State Tournament, falling to the host Spartans, 5-4, before defeating Central Connecticut State 10-7 in 8 innings. All three teams finished day one at the tournament 1-1.
 
After a pair of scoreless innings in the opener against the Spartans, Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) led off the top of the third with a solo homer to center. Keegan St. Cyr (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton) continued the inning with a single back up the middle. Two batters later, Abby Cruz (Corona, CA/Santiago) singled to center, driving in Shelby Dyer (Clarksboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional), who reached on a fielder's choice to extend the lead to 2-0.
 
The Spartans answered with a run in the bottom of the third and two in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead, 3-2. In the top of the sixth, Cruz led off with a single, then Melissa Purcella (Albuquerque, NM/Albuquerque Academy) entered as a pinch runner and took advantage of a pair of Spartan fielding mistakes to score and even the game, 3-3.
 
A two-run home run gave the Spartans the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Aspen Wheeler (Lampasas, TX/Lampasas) singled to start the top of the seventh, then two-out hits by Dyer and Sydney Savatt (Pittsburgh, PA/Avonworth) made it 5-4 and put runners on second and third, but the Spartans would induce a fly out to secure the win.
 
The Broncs got on the board first again in their second game of the day. Cruz led off the top of the second with a single. Emma Morgan (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) entered as a pinch runner and immediately stole second, coming around to score on a hit by Wheeler. The Broncs would extend the lead to 2-0 in the top of the third courtesy of a Buchanan sacrifice fly.
 
After the Blue Devils got a run back in the bottom of the third, the Broncs appeared to break the game open in the fourth. Kendall Reda-Fehsal (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) and Wheeler led off the inning with back-to-back singles, then Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A Noelle Flail (Woolwich, NJ/Kingsway Regional) sacrifice fly brought in one run, then strong baserunning by the Broncs allowed Wheeler to score as Luedtke stole second. Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) followed with an RBI double that pushed the lead to 5-1.
 
The Blue Devils got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth, then took the lead with three in the sixth. Buchanan reached on an error to lead off the top of the seventh, then came around to score to tie the game 6-6 and send it to extra innings.
 
With Savatt placed on second to begin the eighth, Flail hit an one-out RBI single to give Rider the lead. The Broncs then took advantage of a pair of Central Connecticut State errors to add three insurance runs. The Blue Devils got one back in the bottom of the eighth, but the Broncs avoided any further damage to seal the victory.
 
Quotes & Notes
- Rider now leads the all-time series 6-5 over Norfolk State and 9-5 over Central Connecticut State.
- Stoeckel started game one and pitched all six innings, allowing five runs, three earned, on five hits while striking out six, taking the loss in the circle. She came back and tossed two innings of relief in game two, allowing just a single unearned run to earn the victory.
- Gabi Rodriguez (Chula Vista, CA/Olympian) started game two, throwing three innings and allowing one run on five hits.
- Madison Moran (Lafayette Hill, PA/Plymouth Whitemarsh) threw two innings out of the pen, allowing two runs on five hits. She struck out a pair in her collegiate debut.
- Lily Ornelas (Hernando, FL/Trinity Catholic) saw her first collegiate action in the circle in relief, throwing one inning and allowing three unearned runs on two hits. She struck out one.
 
Broncs By The Numbers
- Cruz led the Broncs with five hits across the pair of games, recording multiple hits in both games. Wheeler finished the day with three hits. Flail and St. Cyr each had two hits.
- Buchanan's home run is the second of her career. She led Rider with three RBIs.
- Flail, Cruz, and St. Cyr each added two RBIs.
- Stoeckel reached safely four times on the day, drawing three walks across the two games.
 
Up Next
Rider will play both the Blue Devils and Spartans Saturday, playing Central Connecticut State at 12 p.m. and Norfolk State at 4 p.m.