Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HACKENSACK, N.J. - The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team dropped two close games to the Rider Broncs in the home opener for the Knights at FDU Softball Field on Wednesday.

The two losses move the Knights' record to 3-15 on the season while the Broncs improve 3-16.

Game 1 (Rider 6, FDU 3)
Rider and Fairleigh Dickinson were held scoreless in the opening two innings of the afternoon. The Broncs then struck for two runs in the top of the third inning when Toni Nino doubled down the left field line and Monica Clark scored on a throwing error to break the tie. Nino scored during the next at-bat due to a wild pitch.

Francine Villalobos (Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley) hit a solo home run to cut the Rider lead in half in the bottom of the fourth. It was her second home run of the season, which also leads the team.

Rider answered back with a home run of their own when Emily Cottrell hit a two-out three-run to left-center to give Rider a 5-1 lead in the top of the fifth. Dana Sensi and Nino both singled with two away to set up Cottrell.

Madelaine Wilen (Bakersfield, Calif./Ridgeview), who went 3-for-3 in game one, doubled to the left-center gap to bring in Cheryl Lopez (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) to make it 5-2 Rider in the fifth. Lopez pinch ran for Emma Deluca (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Township), who walked with one out.

The Broncs wasted little time in getting the run back. With one out in the top of the sixth, Amanda Jordan took a 2-0 pitch from Lopez and homered to left-center to give Rider a 6-2 advantage.

Fairleigh Dickinson got one back in the bottom of the seventh when Holly Mercier (Corona, Calif./Santiago) knocked in Wilen with a double to left-center on a 2-2 pitch. Mericer finished 1-for-4 with the RBI.

Madison Lerma (Escondido, Calif./Escondido) (1-4) picked up the loss after throwing five and a third innings while giving up six runs -- four earned -- and allowing 11 hits. Delany DeMello (2-3) picked up the win for Rider after pitching five innings of relief and allowing three runs on six hits.

Game 2 (Rider 5, FDU 4 in 8 innings)
The second game of the doubleheader was a back and forth affair. Both teams held the lead twice before the game was decided in extra innings.

Fairleigh Dickinson got on the board first in the home half of the first when Francine Villalobos (Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley) hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Madelaine Wilen (Bakersfield, Calif./Ridgeview). Wilen doubled to lead-off the game and moved over to third on a ground out.

Rider tied in the game in the top of the second without recording a hit. The first two hitters reach on a hit-by-pitch and a walk before the first out was recorded. Amanda Jordan then walked, which loaded the bases for the visitors. Jo Jo Spence followed Jordan and walked as well that forced in a run -- Emily Cottrell.

Wilen reached on an error to start the third for the Knights. The senior then stole second base, she became the all-time leader in the category in the process. Three batters later, Madison Lerma (Escondido, Calif./Escondido) reached on another error; that also allowed Wilen to score and give Fairleigh Dickinson a 2-1 lead.

Rider used the long ball again in the top of the fifth. Kim Valdes and Cottrell went back-to-back with two outs to give Rider a 3-2 advantage. Fairleigh Dickinson answered when they came to bat in the fifth. Holly Mercier (Corona, Calif./Santiago) singled, stole second -- sixth of the season -- and then scored on a Francine Villalobos (Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley) RBI single that went back through the box.

The Broncs had a one-run lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. After the first two Knights were retired, Fairleigh Dickinson strung together three straight singles. Lerma, Kellie Natham (Arcadia, Calif./Maranatha) and Cervantes all singled. Lerma scored on Cervantes' shot back up the middle. The Knights then left Natham -- the winning run -- at third to force extra innings.

For the third time in the game, Rider used the long ball, and this time, proved to be the difference as Monica Clark hit a 3-2 pitch over the left-center field fence to give the Broncs the 5-4 lead and win. The Knights tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eighth but a double play thwarted the rally.

Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical) (0-5) took the loss in game two after going two innings, which includes working out a second and third jam, and allowing a single run -- the home run by Jordan. Kaitlyn Kallert earned the win after pitching six innings in relief and allowing three runs -- two earned -- on 10 hits.

Fairleigh Dickinson returns to the diamond this weekend when they travel to Columbia for doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday against both Columbia and Canisius.