College Softball: Cornell 6, Rider University 5 / George Mason 13, Rider University 4

FAIRFAX, Va. - The Rider University softball team lost twice on Sunday (March 3) in the final day of the Patriot Classic, hosted by George Mason University.

The Broncs (1-8) lost to Cornell 6-5 and George Mason 13-4.

Sophomore Allysen Breeden (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) had four RBIs in the double header and a home-run in the second game to lead Rider.

For the Broncs in game one, Cornell (2-1) used a pair of RBI singles to take the early 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Rider scored three runs in the top of the second inning to take the lead. With bases loaded, junior Kehli Washington (Lulea, Sweden/New Rochelle) reached on fielder’s choice, scoring sophomore Amanda Irving (Westminster, Md./Westminster). Breeden followed with a two-run single up the middle to give the Broncs a 3-2 advantage. Washington had four hits on the day and now has 95 career hits.

The Big Red came back in the third frame, scoring on a sacrifice and a RBI single to regain the lead 4-3.

After a scoreless fourth inning, a RBI single gave Cornell the 5-3 lead in the fifth inning.

The Broncs trimmed Cornell’s lead back to one in the sixth on a double steal. Senior Alyssa Paul (Toms River/Toms River HS East) was hit by a pitch and stole second, and Washington made it home safely to make the score 5-4. The Big Red came right back with a home run in the bottom of the sixth down the right field line to regain the two-run lead at 6-4.

A RBI single by freshman Kim Valdes (Jupiter, Fla./Kings Academy) down the left field line plated Irving and made the score 6-5, but Rider fell short in its comeback effort. Cornell defeated Rider on Saturday 9-1.

Red-shirt freshman Krista Morrone (Pipersville, Pa./Palisades) picked up the loss, scattering 15 hits with one strikeout in the complete game effort.

In the second game, George Mason scored three runs in both the first and second inning to take early command and defeat the Broncs.

George Mason used a RBI double and a two-run homer to open up a 3-0 lead in the first inning. In the second inning, a Rider error, four hits and an infield sacrifice gave Mason a six-run lead..

The Patriots used a squeeze play to score a run in the third inning and increase their lead to 7-0.

In the fourth inning, GMU scored six runs on a two-run single, a pair of RBI singles and a fielder’s choice to go ahead 13-0.

Rider scored two runs in the fourth and fifth inning. In the fourth, a two run double by freshman Samantha Judd (Thousand Oaks, Calif./West Lake) trimmed the Mason lead to 13-2.

In the fifth inning, the two-run homer by Breeden to leftfield made the score 13-4. The Patriots defeated Rider 7-4 on Friday.

Freshman Montana Berg (Danville, Calif./Monte Vista) went four innings, allowing 13 runs, all earned, scattering 15 hits and she recorded one strikeout.

The Broncs travel to Philadelphia to play Drexel in doubleheader Tuesday, March 5.

Rider’s 2013 home opener is scheduled for Saturday, March 9 vs. Columbia at Herb and Joan Young Field on the Lawrenceville campus.