LAWRECEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University softball team earned a double-header sweep Wednesday afternoon, defeating Niagara 10-4 in game one, before stopping the Purple Eagles 16-1 in five innings in the second game. The Broncs even their record at 13-13 on the season, and 5-3 in MAAC play, while the Purple Eagles are now 0-15 on the year, and 0-8 in league play.
 
The Broncs fell behind after Niagara posted runs in the bottom of the first and the second. Rider fired back in the top of the third. Keegan St. Cyr (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton) started the inning with an infield single, then Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) ripped a home run to left to tie the game. Abby Cruz (Corona, CA/Santiago) continued the inning with a double and Emma Morgan (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) drew a one-out walk. With two away, Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) singled to drive in a run, then after a Sydney Savatt (Pittsburgh, PA/Avonworth) walk loaded the bases, Aspen Wheeler (Lampasas, TX/Lampasas) hit a single that scored a pair before the ball skipped away to allow a third run to come home and extend the lead to 6-2.
 
In the top of the fourth, Luedtke opened the inning with her second home run of the game to give Rider a 7-2 lead, where the game remained into the sixth. Luedtke and Cruz opened the inning with back-to-back singles. With two away, Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) drew a walk to load the bases. Buchanan hit a bases clearing double to drive in all three runs, pushing the Rider advantage to 10-2. Niagara scored two in the bottom of the sixth to extend the game, but would get no closer.
 
Rider kept the bats going right way in game two. Wheeler and Luedtke drew walks around a St. Cyr single to load the bases with no outs in the top of the first. The Purple Eagles then made a pitching change and Cruz welcomed the new Niagara pitcher to the game, depositing the second pitch she saw over the fence for a grand slam to give the Broncs the early 4-0 edge.
 
In the second, Wheeler led off with a single and stole second. St. Cyr then doubled in the run and Luedtke singled to put runners on the corners. A sacrifice fly extended the lead to 6-0, and with two outs, Morgan drove in a run with a single. After a Purple Eagle error extended the inning, Buchanan, Shelby Dyer (Clarksboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional), and Wheeler hit back-to-back-to-back RBI singles to push the lead to 10-0.
 
The Purple Eagles got a run back in the third, but the Broncs added on in the fourth. Gabi Rodriguez (Chula Vista, CA/Olympian) started the inning with a double, then Buchanan walked. Dyer then drove in a run with a single and an error allowed another to score. After a sacrifice fly, made the score 13-1, Luedtke hit her third home run of the day to push the lead to 15-1.
 
In the fifth, Dyer was hit by a pitch with two away, then Wheeler doubled in Dyer to produce the final score.
 
Quotes & Notes
- Stoeckel got the start in the circle in game one, throwing all seven innings, allowing six runs, three earned on nine hits, to earn the win.
- Rodriguez started game two, throwing all five innings, allowing an unearned run, and striking out one to earn the win.
- Luedtke recorded her 100^th career hit with her second home run in game one.
- Luedtke's home runs give her seven on the season and 14 in her career.
- Cruz' home run is her fourth of the season and 10^th of her career.
 
Broncs By The Numbers
- Luedtke led Rider with six hits on the day
- Wheeler added five hits in the double header.
- Cruz finished with four hits on the day
- St. Cyr and Buchanan recorded three hits in the double header.
- Rodriguez and Dyer added two hits across the pair of games.
- Morgan and Kendall Reda-Fehsal (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) each finished with a hit.
- Luedtke scored six times to lead the Broncs on the day.
- Luedtke, Buchanan, and Cruz led Rider with five RBIs each across the double header.
 
Up Next
The Broncs return to conference play Saturday, hosting Quinnipiac for a double header starting at noon.