College Softball – Rebel Spring Games: North Dakota 10, Rider University 1 / Wagner College 5, Rider University 1

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The Rider University softball team lost twice on its opening day (March 15) at the Rebel Spring Games in Florida.

The Broncs were defeated 10-1 in the opener by North Dakota and Rider fell 5-1 in the second game against Wagner.

Against the Seahawks in game two, junior Kehli Washington (Lulea, Sweden/New Rochelle) led off the game with a bunt single for her 100th career hit.  Washington had three hits on the day, including two of Rider’s six hits against Wagner.

Washington became the 45th Bronc and first player since Amanda Centeno ’11 to reach the 100 hit plateau.

Wagner used three hits, including a two-run single to take a 3-0, first inning lead and the Seahawks had a double, single and sacrifice fly in the second inning to open up a four-run lead.

Three more hits, including an RBI single down the left field line put the Seahawks in the lead 5-0 through five innings.

Freshman Samantha Judd (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Westlake) hit a one-out single to shortstop in the top of the seventh and after a Washington single, freshman Dana Sensi (Allentown) hit an RBI double for the final score.  Sensi had two hits in the game.

Freshman Montana Berg (Danville, Calif./Monte Vista) pitched six innings, scattering 10 hits, while recording four strikeouts.

In the opener against North Dakota, Rider (2-14) was held to three hits.

NDU jumped out to a 3-0, first inning lead taking advantage of a Bronc error that led to two unearned runs with North Dakota adding an RBI double.

Trailing by three in the bottom of the fifth, Rider freshman Emily Cottrell (Beachwood/Toms River HS South) reached on an error and eventually scored on an RBI single by sophomore Lauren Davies (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley).

NDU took advantage of another Rider error in the top of the sixth inning to score three times (two unearned) and North Dakota had four hits, including a home run, to plate four runs for the final score.

Red-shirt freshman Krista Morrone (Pipersville, Pa./Palisades) went the distance for the Broncs, recording one strikeout with no walks.  Morrone allowed six earned runs while scattering 10 hits.

The Broncs play Utah Valley and Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, beginning at 9am in Florida.