CHAPEL HILL, NC – The Rider University softball team split a pair of games at the Tar Heel Invitational Saturday, falling to Appalachian State, 9-3, before bouncing back to defeat North Carolina Central, 8-7. The Broncs are now 3-5 on the season. The Mountaineers improved to 11-2, and Eagles fall to 1-13.
In the Broncs' first game of the day, The Mountaineers got on the board first with runs in the first and second. In the bottom of the second,
Keegan St. Cyr (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton) got a one-out single and
Emma Morgan (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) followed with a walk. With two away,
Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) ripped a single to left center, plating St. Cyr, then
Gabi Rodriguez (Chula Vista, CA/Olympian) ripped a double that scored two to put the Broncs on top 3-2.
A home run to lead off the top of the fourth tied the game 3-3. The Broncs got their best chance to break the tie in the bottom of the fifth, getting, two on with two outs, but the Mountaineers induced a line out to get out of the jam. The Mountaineers scored once in the top of the sixth, then added five insurance runs in the seventh to produce the win.
Against NC Central, the Eagles struck first in the top of the first, scoring three. The Broncs had an immediate response in bottom of the inning. St. Cyr delivered a one-out homer to left, then
Aspen Wheeler (Lampasas, TX/Lampasas) singled and stole second. After
Abby Cruz (Corona, CA/Santiago) and
Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) walked to load the bases with two outs, Buchanan drew a walk to bring a run home, followed by a two-run single off the bat of Morgan to put Rider in front 4-3.
Rider added on in the bottom of the third. Luedtke led off the inning with a single, then Buchanan reached on an error. After a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third,
Noelle Flail (Woolwich, NJ/Kingsway Regional) drove in a run with a ground out.
Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) came through with a two-run homer to right to keep the rally going. St. Cyr then restarted the rally, reaching on a wild pitch before back-to-back singles by Wheeler and Cruz brought her in to score.
The Broncs maintained the five-run lead into the top of the sixth, when the Eagles scored four runs, trimming the Rider lead to 8-7. The Eagles got two runners in the top of the ninth with two away before Stoeckel induced a ground out to end the threat and the game.
Quotes & Notes
- Appalachian State leads the all-time series over the Broncs, 4-0, and Rider leads the all-time series over Rider, 4-1.
- Rodriguez got the start in the circle in game one, going 6.2 innings and allowing nine runs, just four earned, on nine hits, striking out two, and taking the loss.
- Stoeckel started game two, throwing all seven innings. She allowed seven runs, five earned, on eight hits, and struck out four to get the win.
Broncs By The Numbers
- Rodriguez had the Broncs' lone multi-hit game in game one, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs.
- Wheeler and Cruz each recorded three hits in game two, finishing with multi-hit games against the Eagles.
- St. Cyr had a hit in both games.
- Buchanan had a hit against the Mountaineers and Stoeckel, Luedtke, Morgan, and Flail each had one hit against NC Central.
- Stoeckel's home run is her first of the season and third of her career.
- St. Cyr's blast is the first of her career.
Up Next
Inclement weather forced the cancellation of the final day at the Tar Heel Invitational and the Broncs now return to action Friday for the Battle at the Max, playing Campbell at 10 a.m., followed by playing the host East Carolina at 5:30 p.m.
