LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | TWITTERHACKENSACK, N.J. - After playing the first 16 games of the 2016 season away from home, the Fairleigh Dickinson softball team will open the home portion of the schedule when Rider comes to Hackensack for a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon.
Rider sits at 1-16 on the season and has lost its last six games. The win for the Broncs came against Bucknell (1-0) back on March 14. Dana Sensi -- the only Bronc to start all 17 games -- leads the Broncs offensive in batting average (.417) and slugging (.646). Sensi is second in on-base percentage (.481). The senior also leads the team in runs scored (8) and RBI (7). Kim Valdes is second in hitting at .346 so far this season. Delany DeMello leads the pitching staff with a 1-3 record and a 4.62 ERA over eight appearances -- three starts.
Fairleigh Dickinson is 3-5 all-time against Rider and the two have not faced one another since the 2012 season -- a Rider 5-2 win. This will be the first the Knights and Broncs have played on of other two teams' home field; all prior eight meetings have been at neutral locations.
The Knights sit at 3-13 on the season, after going 1-3 at last weekend St. John's Invitational. The win for the Knights came against Howard by a score of 6-1 on Saturday, March 19. In the game against Howard, the Knights got two RBI from
Courtney Slye (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley) and four other players drove in one run.
Madison Lerma (Escondido, Calif./Escondido) pitched a pitched a complete game while surrendering one unearned run and scattering seven hits.
Madelaine Wilen (Bakersfield, Calif./Ridgeview) became the all-time leader in doubles this past week. The senior doubled against Harvard back on March 15 to tie the record of 34 and then broke the mark on March 20 against Samford.
Reanna Cervantes (Upland, Calif./Upland) hit .438 last week to led Fairleigh Dickinson, the freshman is second behind
Kellie Natham (Arcadia, Calif./Maranatha) in average for the season at a .357 clip. Cervantes drove in three and scored twice over the Knights' six games.
Stephanie Collins (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills) was second on the team in average over the six games last week with a .357 average.
In the circle, Lerma posted a 4.40 ERA and a 1-2 mark to lead the pitching staff for Fairleigh Dickinson.
After the game on Wednesday, Fairleigh Dickinson will travel over to Columbia for the Columbia Classic where they will play the host Lions and Canisius on both Friday and Saturday.
