GREENVILLE, NC – The Rider University softball team was defeated twice Friday at the Battle at the Max, falling to Campbell, 7-5, before falling to host East Carolina, 10-2. The Broncs are now 3-7 on the season. The Camels improved to 10-5 on the year, and the Pirates moved to 11-7.
In the first game of the day against Campbell following a scoreless first,
Kendall Reda-Fehsal (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) got a one-out single.
Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) then got a double, which allowed Reda-Fehsal to score on an ensuing passed ball, giving the Broncs a 1-0 lead. The lead would be short-lived with Campbell answering with six runs in the bottom of the second.
The game remained 6-1 into the top of the sixth when
Abby Cruz (Corona, CA/Santiago) and Reda-Fehsal started the inning with back-to-back singles before a Luedtke walk loaded the bases.
Emma Morgan (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) then hit a two-run single. With two outs,
Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) singled to right to drive in a run, cutting the deficit to 6-4.
After Campbell scored one in the bottom of the sixth,
Melissa Purcella (Albuquerque, NM/Albuquerque Academy) opened the top of the seventh with a double. Purcella would come in to score on a passed ball with one out, but the Broncs would not get another base runner.
Against East Carolina,
Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) opened the game with a double, then
Keegan St. Cyr (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton) reached on an error. A single by
Aspen Wheeler (Lampasas, TX/Lampasas) brought home Stoeckel, then St. Cyr scored on a sacrifice fly by Cruz.
It was all Pirates after that. East Carolina scored one in the first, two in the second, three in the third, and two each in the fourth, and the fifth, while the Broncs did not record a hit for the remainder of the contest.
Quotes & Notes
- Campbell leads the all-time series over the Broncs, 6-0, and East Carolina leads the all-time series over Rider, 8-1.
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Gabi Rodriguez (Chula Vista, CA/Olympian) got the start in the circle against Campbell, throwing all six innings and allowing seven runs on nine hits, striking out three, and taking the loss.
- Stoeckel started against East Carolina, throwing 3.1 innings. She allowed eight runs, five earned, on nine hits, and struck out three, taking the loss.
Broncs By The Numbers
- Stoeckel led the Broncs with three hits on the day.
- Reda-Fehsal, Morgan, and Buchanan each finished the day with two hits.
Up Next
The Broncs are back in action for day two at the Battle at the Max, playing East Carolina at 3 p.m. before taking on Campbell at 5:30 p.m.
