Rider returns from North Florida losses

By Kristie Kahl

Rider’s softball team left the cold rain behind to play in the sun while in Florida.

The Broncs spent Spring Break competing in the Rebel Spring Games, going 4-6 for the week.

“We got to see how we work together as a team and how to support each other accordingly,” said sophomore outfielder Derrin Minunni.

The Broncs fell to Robert Morris, Cleveland State, Rhode Island, and Cornell during the week. Rider came back in some close games to overtake Florida A&M 4-3, Wagner 5-4, Colgate 7-2, and Rhode Island 6-5 in an extra inning.

“We showed that we could play and compete,” said head coach Trisha Carroll to Rider Sports Information. “We’ve got to learn to control what we can and not let other things out of our control bother us.”

The team returned north after losing a doubleheader to North Florida.

“Our losses were tough because they really could have gone either way,” Minunni said. “Although it was a loss I felt that we played really well and if the tables had just been turned a little we would have walked away with one or two more wins.”

In the first game, North Florida took a 4-0 lead before the Broncs responded with a two-run double from Minunni in the top of the fourth inning. With an error by North Florida, senior Aimee Schiller and Minunni executed a double steal to bring the Broncs within one run, which was as close as Rider would get.

The Ospreys came back with five runs within the next three innings to seal a win.

Junior Lauren Brunner pitched four innings, giving up five earned runs on seven hits, recording one strikeout. Freshman Samantha Bennett pitched two relief innings, giving up four runs on six hits.

“We came out flat,” Carroll said to Rider Sports Information. “It was ugly and it looked like we didn’t want to come out and play in the first game.”

During the second game, the Broncs jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on a bases loaded RBI single by Minunni with Schiller following with a two-run double. With a wild pitch from North Florida, Minunni was able to score, leaving her with four hits and four RBIs for the day.

Rider maintained a 5-1 lead on a two-out RBI single by Minunni before North Florida tied the game at five, scoring four times in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Brunner hit a two-out RBI triple, scoring senior Jessica Holland to put the Broncs at six. North Florida responded with two singles and a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to put the game away. Brunner ended with two hits for the day.

“We stayed up and positive throughout the close games which really allowed us to do better,” Minunni said. “The games that weren’t as close it was easy to tell there was no energy behind us.”

Rider will continue its schedule at Columbia in a doubleheader on April 3.