April 30, 2006 - Rider 3 Siena 0 / Rider 3 Siena 1 (Beintema 700 K's)
April 30, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Softball
Rider University 3, Siena College 0
Rider University 3, Siena College 1
LAWRENCEVILLE--The last two won’t matter without the first six. Now they matter. Facing must win situations in every league game since April 10th, the Broncs have responded winning six straight to improve to 8-6 in the MAAC with a doubleheader win over Sinea on Sunday.
Rider senior Heather Beintema (La Mesa, Calif./Grossmont) pitched a four-hit shutout in game one, recording eight strikeouts and came on to earn the save in the second game as the Broncs swept the Saints (14-33, 4-8 MAAC) 3-0 and 3-1. Freshman Lauren Brunner (Chino, Calif./Chino) won the second game, going four innings, scattering four hits, allowing no earned runs.
“These kids have shown we have the ability to do it,” said head coach Tricia Carroll. “They are playing well. The most important thing is that the kids believe. I have really been harping on the one pitch at a time, winning every single pitch. It is all of us against the other team. We have done a great job supporting each other. It hasn’t always been pretty but they work hard, they are good and talented.”
Junior Desiree Harbaugh (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) made two diving plays in the outfield to keep Siena from inflicting further damage in the second game.
“We work a lot in practice on testing what our limits are defensively and the team is getting it. They know what their limits are and have decided that they have no limits. Des [Harbaugh] make two huge plays; they are playing well, playing with heart and playing together. They want to win and want to do well and I can’t ask for anything more as a coach,” said Carroll.
Beintema picked up career strikeout #700 in the second game and now has 701 strikeouts in her career.
“The 700 strikeouts is never something I thought I would do in my career but all I want to focus on is what we are doing as a team,” said Beintema who picked up her 26th career shutout in the opener.
In the first game, Rider (21-22, 8-6 MAAC) opened the scoring in the second inning, scoring twice on two walks, an error and an RBI single from senior Jen Cullen (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Immaculata). Cullen accounted for an insurance run in the sixth inning with an RBI single. Cullen had five hits and three RBI’s on the day.
In the second game, with the score tied at one in the fourth inning, Cullen hit a single to centerfield that got all the way to the fence. Senior Kristen Kenavan (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) scored on the error to give Rider a 2-1 lead. Cullen hit her third home run of the season in the sixth for the final score.
“Cullen’s home run in the sixth was big,” added Beintema. “It’s huge when you know you have some cushion and knowing you have a team behind you.”
“We’ve been united in our goal and we are all in it together,” said Cullen who now has 160 hits in her career, 15th highest at Rider.
Also for the Broncs, Nichole Mears (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) had four hits, including a double in the doubleheader.
“This is a pretty tight team,” said Mears. “Everyone has everyone’s back. You make an error in the field but you come right back because you know someone is going to pick you up at the plate.”
Rider has now won six straight with Beintema picking up five wins and a save during the winning streak. Beintema has an e.r.a. of 0.89 during the last six league games.
The Broncs travel to Fairfield on Tuesday in the final conference doubleheader of the season. The Broncs conclude the home schedule with senior day against Princeton on Saturday, May 6th.
“We put ourselves in the situation and we are still working on getting control of our playoff destiny,” Carroll added. “I have no doubt that we will go into the Tuesday doubleheader at Fairfield fighting to keep the season going.”
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