CNBNews

NEW YORK, N.Y.—Despite two hits from junior Morgan Benedetti (Ewing), the Rider University softball team lost 2-1 at Columbia on Wednesday afternoon in a non-conference game.

Trailing 2-0 in the top of the sixth inning, senior Dana Sensi (Allentown) hit her fourth home run of the season and 24th of her career, getting the Broncs to within 2-1.  Sensi’s 178 career hits are tied for 10th all-time at Rider.

“Our bats were not in it today,” said head coach Jaci Timko.  “We took too many pitches and the ones we did swing at, we couldn’t find the holes in their defense.”

Columbia led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk and a one out double down the right field line gave the Lions a 1-0 lead.

The Lions made it 2-0 in the fourth inning with a leadoff home run down the left field line.

Junior Megan Ailand (Burlingame, Calif./Burlingame) went the first three innings for Rider, allowing three hits and one earned run with sophomore Kaitlyn Kallert(Woodland Park/Passaic Valley) working the final three innings, allowing five hits while recording two strikeouts.

Sophomores Toni Nino (Adelanto, Calif./Silverado) and Monica Clark (Bryn Mawr, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) also had hits for Rider (6-35).

“It was a good day to see live pitching before we hit the road for a big conference weekend,” Timko added.

Rider travels to Western New York to face Niagara and Canisius in a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheaders this weekend.