HUNTINGTON, WV – Jessie Niegocki (Marana, AZ/Mountain View) had a team-high three hits, but the Rider University softball team fell to Marshall, 7-0, and Winthrop, 2-0, Saturday at the Marshall Thundering Herd March Madness. With the losses, the Broncs fall to 4-10, while the Thundering Herd and Eagles improved to 21-3 and 15-9, respectively.

Against Marshall, the Herd scored two runs in the first, two more in the third, a single run in the fourth and two more in the sixth to take a 7-0 lead. After Niegocki led off the game with a single on a screamer off the third baseman's glove, Marshall pitcher Sydney Nester set down the next 18 Rider batters and 21 of 22 to secure the complete-game shutout. The only Rider hit over the final 22 batters to come to the plate came from Gianna Epps (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) to lead off the seventh.

Rider outhit Winthrop, 7-5,  but fell, 2-0, on single runs in the second and fifth innings. A one-out hit-by-pitch came around to score on a two-out single in the second, while a leadoff single, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI single plated the Eagles' second run in the fifth. A Rider baserunner reached safely in six of seven innings, but the Broncs couldn't push across a run. The Broncs' best chance came in the fifth, when they piece together hits from Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville), Brianna Koonce (Warminster, PA/William Tennent) and Epps. But a fielder's choice and an interference call prevented the Broncs from scoring.
  
Notes
- Kathryn Schmierer (Racine, WI/Racine Lutheran) took the loss against Marshall, allowing four earned runs on eight hits over 2.2 innings pitched without walking a batter. She struck out two.
- Niegocki entered the circle in the third inning of the Marshall game and allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks in 3.1 innings pitched. She struck out four.
- Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) went the distance for Rider in the Winthrop game, allowing two earned runs on five hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch over 6.0 innings.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Niegocki led the Broncs, going 3-for-7.
- Epps and Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) each added 2-for-6 performances.
- Brianna Koonce (Warminster, PA/William Tennent) had the Broncs' lone extra-base hit on the day, a double against Winthrop.
- Gardner reached twice on a single and a hit-by-pitch.
- Laneya Wright (Tucson, AZ/Marana) also reached on a hit-by-pitch.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action Wednesday, when they play their home opener against former league foe Monmouth. First pitch of the single game from Herb & Joan Young Field is scheduled for 2 p.m.