LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team fell in both halves of a doubleheader at Rider on Wednesday afternoon.
Kellie Natham had three hits over the two games and a RBI.
Madison Emerson also had a RBI plus a pair of hits.
Serena Meehan extended her hit streak with hits in both contests.
Game 1: Rider 4, Fairleigh Dickinson 2
Both Rider and Fairleigh Dickinson were held scoreless through the first two innings before Rider (5-25) scored two in the bottom of the third and one more in the fourth for all the offense the Broncs would need.
Fairleigh Dickinson (2-22) made it a one-run game in the sixth after scoring two in the sixth, but Rider tacked on an insurance run in the bottom half to get the two-run win.
Rider scored both runs in the second off a single from Delany DeMello and then on a RBI groundout from Josette Spencer in the third made it 3-0.
Kellie Natham came to bat in the sixth with two outs and
Reanna Cervantes on third. Natham doubled down the left field line to plate fellow sophomore Cervantes for Natham's team-leading 16th RBI of the season.
The next batter was
Madison Emerson who scored
Baylee Ports – pinch ran for Natham – on a hit to right.
Cheryl Lopez then got on via an infield single before
Jaymee Jackson struck out to strand Emerson and Lopez at second and first.
Shelby Miller then led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer off Ports to make it a 4-2 game.
Erica Johnson (2-7) took the loss for the Knights after allowing two runs over three innings. Ports pitched the final three innings and also allowed a pair of runs. Emily Oltman (4-8) got the win for the Broncs and Megan Ailand picked up her first save of the season.
Serena Meehan went 1-for-2 for the Knights and extended her hit streak to nine games. Cervantes extended her current streak to five after going 1-for-4.
Game 2: Rider 5, Fairleigh Dickinson 0
Rider scored four runs in the bottom of the first, which followed Fairleigh Dickinson stranding runners at second and third in the top of the first.
Kellie Natham and
Serena Meehan were left at second and third respectively.
Meehan extended her hit streak to 10 games with the single.
The Broncs benefited from two errors in the first inning by the Knights' defense.
A walk and three singles around a pop-up loaded the bases for Rider (6-25) in the bottom of the first. Two fielder's choice and a double steal led to the four runs.
Fairleigh Dickinson (2-23) had at least one runner in the second, third and the fourth innings but all three were left aboard.
Natham started the sixth with a double and
Madison Emerson followed with a single to put runners at the corners with none out. The Knights would be able to move the runners any further after a ground out, strikeout and a fly out to end the frame.
Amanda Crimarco tacked on a run in the bottom half with a two-out solo home run.
Cheryl Lopez (0-3) went the full six innings and allowed six hits, five runs – two earned – and struck out three. Elyse Cuttic (2-9) went the full seven to earn the win and scattered seven hits and struck out three.
Fairleigh Dickinson returns to action on Saturday for a Northeast Conference doubleheader at Bryant. Game times are set for 12 and 2 p.m. on Saturday in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
