MERION STATION, PA – The Rider University softball team topped Saint Joseph's Wednesday afternoon, winning 8-3. The Broncs improve to 6-11 on the season, while the Hawks fall to 9-10 on the year.
 
The Broncs got on the board early, Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) and Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) drew walks to put two on with two out in the top of the first. After a wild pitch moved both runners up, Emma Morgan (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) delivered an RBI single to give Rider the 1-0 lead.
 
In the top of the second, Keegan St. Cyr (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton) led off the inning with an infield single. Two batters later, Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) and Aspen Wheeler (Lampasas, TX/Lampasas) hit back-to-back singles to load the bases with one away. Stoeckel then drew a walk to bring in a run. Gabi Rodriguez (Chula Vista, CA/Olympian) singled to drive in a run, then Luedtke hit a sacrifice fly that extended the lead to 4-0.
 
Rider continued to score in the third. St. Cyr started the inning with a single, then an error put runners on second and third. Buchanan followed with a single to bring in a run. Another pair of Hawk errors extended the lead to 6-0 and loaded the bases with no outs. Rodriguez then added another RBI single. A sacrifice fly from Luedtke put Rider up 8-0.
 
The Hawks countered with two runs in the bottom of the third before the pitching settled in, keeping the score 8-2 into the bottom of the seventh. The Hawks got a run in the bottom of the seventh, but the Broncs got out of the inning without any further damage to secure the win.
 
Quotes & Notes
"It was a really good team win. [St. Joe's] has done some really good things throughout the season, so for us to come out and jump on top of them is good for us to set ourselves up for the weekend. It was team effort, everybody has a part in it, and it shows that up and down the lineup, we can hit the ball. Seeing that we could go in and face a pretty good hitting offense, and shut them down, it's really helpful." – Head Coach Davon Ortega
 
"I just went up with the approach that I'm going to hit the ball today. I was trying not to think, and just attack any pitch that was in the zone. When the team is hitting, I just get amped up and, and get in a mode where I want to go up, get a hit, get on base, and get hyped for the team." – Sophomore Pitcher Gabi Rodriguez
 
- Stoeckel got the start in the circle, throwing three innings and allowing two runs on four hits, she struck out one.
- Lily Ornelas (Hernando, FL/Trinity Catholic) came out of the pen and threw 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just a single hit.
- Rodriguez tossed the final 1.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits. She struck out one.
 
Broncs By The Numbers
- Rodriguez led the Broncs with four hits, including a double for the Broncs lone extra-base hit.
- Morgan, St. Cyr, and Buchanan each added two hits in the game
- Wheeler and Stoeckel both had a hit in the game.
- Rodriguez and Luedtke each had two RBIs in the game to lead Rider.
 
Up Next
The Broncs are back in action when they host Manhattan Saturday with a double header beginning at 12 p.m.