April 5, 2007 - Columbia 1 Rider 0
April 5, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Softball
Columbia University 1, Rider University 0
LAWRENCEVILLE—Despite the outstanding pitching of junior Jessica Holland (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham), the Broncs lost to Columbia Thursday. “I thought Jessica pitched great,” said Rider head coach Tricia Carroll, “but you have to score a run to win the game.”
For Rider (5-16) Holland pitched all seven innings and allowed just one unearned run, striking out two. “Jess pitched great,” Carroll said. “That was the best outing of her career.” Holland entered the game with a record of 6-13 at Rider, including 2-5 this season.
“I felt good today,” Holland said. “I’ve played in a lot of cold games like this before, so this was nothing new. Fortunately I had my off-speed stuff working today. This was one of my better games.”
Columbia defeated Rider 8-0 earlier this season in Florida. “We knew they were an aggressive hitting team, so it helped to keep them off balance with different pitches,” Holland said. “They are a very good hitting team. I just tried to keep the ball low and keep them off balance, and for the most part that’s what happened.”
Holland used a steady diet of drops, change-ups and curve balls on Thursday.
“(catcher) Megan (freshman Megan Kozlowski of Richboro, Pa./Council Rock-North High) behind the plate did a great job blocking the balls in the dirt,” Carroll said, “and with a drop-ball pitcher like Jessica you have to do that.”
“Megan did a great job behind the plate blocking balls,” Holland said, “which made it a lot easier for me.”
Columbia (12-16) scored an unearned run in the third inning on an error, an infield hit and an RBI single by Danielle Pineda. “I thought we played great defense except for one mistake, which cost us the game,” Carroll said.
The Lions had eight hits on the day.
The Broncs managed just three hits, including one by freshman Amber Affholter (Trenton, MI/Southgate-Anderson) in her collegiate debut. “We were thinking of red-shirting Amber this season but decided not to and she hit the ball hard today,” Carroll said.
Freshman Candice Harris (Las Vegas, Nev./Coronado) and sophomore Katy Mills (Seattle, Wash./Mount Rainier) also had hits for Rider. Mills was playing shortstop earlier this year but has moved to third base. “Katy is doing a great job at third base,” Carroll said, “so the adjustments we have made are working. We just need to find a way to put these decisions in the left column instead of the right column.”
The game was played despite snow flurries and the second game was cancelled due to frigid temperatures. “No one should play in weather like this,” Carroll said. “We made a decision to not play the second game. Neither team wanted to run the risk of hurting someone. It was the right decision.”
Rider hosts Rutgers in a single game on Tuesday at 4pm.
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