LAWRECEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University softball team claimed a walk-off win Saturday afternoon in the first game of the three-game series with Quinnipiac, winning 3-2. The Broncs improve to 14-13 on the season and 6-3 in MAAC play, while the Bobcats fall to 14-9 overall and 10-2 in league games.
In a matchup of the league's top two offenses, it was the pitchers that took center stage, with the game sitting scoreless through the first four innings. After the Bobcats scored an unearned run in the fifth, the Broncs responded in the bottom half.
Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) singled to open the inning, then was sacrificed into scoring position.
Aspen Wheeler (Lampasas, TX/Lampasas) singled to put runners on the corners with one away.
Keegan St. Cyr (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton) then hit a ground ball to short that the drawn-in infielder chose to throw to the plate, but Buchanan slid in under the tag to tie the game.
After a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, the Broncs threatened in the bottom half, loading the bases with two outs, but the Bobcats were able to leave the bases loaded and keep the game tied entering the seventh. With one out and a runner on second, the Bobcats got a base hit to right. The batter took off for second, and the Broncs gunned down the runner, but the play allowed the runner to come in to score at give Quinnipiac a 2-1 lead.
St. Cyr led off the bottom of the seventh with an infield single, then
Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) blasted a double over the head of the Bobcat right fielder.
Abby Cruz (Corona, CA/Santiago) followed with a single to left that brought in a run and tied the game. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Quinnipiac got an out, but
Gabi Rodriguez (Chula Vista, CA/Olympian) reached on an error that drove in the game-winning run for the Broncs.
Quotes & Notes
"Gabi did a great job keeping them off balance and guessing today. Honestly, that's what got us the win today. We had to score the runs, but Gabi's pitching kept us in the game until then. I thought both teams were going to hit the ball, and it's a tribute to both pitchers for coming in, bearing down, and getting the job done. Because we've been in this situation before, we know what it takes, and we have faith in our offense. We know we can hit, and we know we can score runs when we need to."
– Head Coach Davon Ortega
"I just focused on my spin as much as I could. I know they're a really good hitting team, but if I took off a little speed, and spun the ball a little bit more, it was going to be effective. [In the last at bat], I saw the middle infield was back, and I knew that if I could get the ball on the ground it would score a run, so I was just focused on putting the ball on the ground and getting the RBI. Getting the win was a huge deal for us, and I'm just thankful we came out on top."
– Sophomore Pitcher Gabi Rodriguez
- Rodriguez started the game in the circle, throwing all seven innings, allowing two runs, one earned, to earn the win.
- Luedtke extends her hitting streak to nine games, and she has reached safely in 15-straight contests.
Broncs By The Numbers
- Luedtke led Rider with three hits on the day
- Cruz,
Kendall Reda-Fehsal (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury), Rodriguez, and Buchanan each added a pair of hits in the game.
- Wheeler, St. Cyr, and
Shelby Dyer (Clarksboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) each finished with a hit.
Up Next
The Broncs and Quinnipiac conclude the series Sunday with a double header starting at noon.
