Rider scoops up a win in Tar Heel Invitational
By Lindsay Scarola
Rider softball traveled south for the Tar Heel Invitational, falling to host University of North Carolina 11-1 on Feb. 20 before splitting a doubleheader on Feb. 21, where it dropped the first game to Appalachian State University, 9-3, and rebounded to defeat North Carolina Central University, 8-7.
Broncs fall in opener
The Tar Heels started off scoring three in the first inning, then added another in the bottom of the second.
Sophomore middle infielder Aspen Wheeler led off in the third inning with a single. Junior infielder Kiersten Buchanan hit a ground ball to third, but UNC threw the ball away.
After Wheeler sped around the bases to score all the way from first, Rider was on the board.
The Tar Heels fought back immediately with four more runs in the third inning and three in the fourth.
Junior catcher Abby Cruz had a leadoff double, giving the Broncs a chance to score. Though she was left stranded, Rider was mercied in five innings, 11-1.
Split doubleheader
In the Broncs’ first game of the day, the Mountaineers got on the board first with runners scoring in the first and second.
In the bottom of the second, sophomore utility Keegan St. Cyr got a one-out single and sophomore first baseman Emma Morgan followed with a walk.
With two outs and two on, Buchanan ripped a single to left, moving the runners up and setting up sophomore pitcher Gabi Rodriguez.
Rodriguez hit a ball into the outfield for a two-run RBI double, putting the Broncs up 3-2.
Appalachian State led off the fourth inning with a home run to tie the game. Rider had their best chance to break the tie in the fifth with two on and two outs, but the Mountaineers put it away, setting the Broncs down 9-3 at the end of play.
In game three, NC Central struck in the top of the first inning and scored three runs. However, Rider had an immediate response with St. Cyr, who delivered a home run before Wheeler singled to keep the rally going.
Cruz and senior outfielder Maddie Luedtke walked to load the bases and Buchanan walked to bring a runner home.
Morgan added two runs off of her single, putting Rider in front, 4-3.
The Broncs continued their rally in the third as Luedtke led off the inning with a single and Buchanan reached on an error.
A sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third. Sophomore infielder Noelle Flail drove in a run on a RBI groundout.
Senior pitcher Fallyn Stoeckel clutched up with a two-run home run, keeping the rally alive.
The Broncs were able to maintain a five-run lead into the top of the sixth after the Eagles scored four runs for an 8-7 victory.
“The biggest thing we need to improve on going into this weekend is that we need to play with an attack mindset,” Head Coach Davon Ortega said.
Rider will now travel to Greenville, North Carolina, to participate in the Battle at the Max, where it will face Campbell University and East Carolina University on Feb. 27 and 28 and St. John’s University on March 1.
