May 6, 2006 - Princeton 3 Rider 0 / Princeton 6 Rider 0
May 6, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Softball
Princeton University 3, Rider University 0
Princeton University 6, Rider University 0
LAWRENCEVILLE—No ‘O’ and no ‘D’ equaled two ‘L’s for Rider on Saturday. Playing the final home games of the 2006 season, the Broncs were shutout twice by the Tigers of Princeton, losing 3-0 and 6-0, making eight errors in the two games.
For Rider (23-26), senior Jen Cullen (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Immaculata) and sophomore Tiffany Day-Neutill (Agoura Hills, Calif./Oaks Christian) each had two hits on the day.
Junior Ashley Boulden (Brooklawn, N.J./Gloucester) and senior Jamie Farley (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) each added doubles for the Broncs.
Freshman Lauren Brunner (Chino, Calif./Chino) went the distance in game one for Rider, allowing two earned runs, striking out three.
“I thought Lauren pitched very well in the first game,” said head coach Tricia Carroll. “We just have to go out and make plays behind her because she’s not a strikeout pitcher.”
“We are working on fixing the defense but the players know what they have to do,” Carroll added. “Some of it is being tired from the eight game must win MAAC run that we went through, some of it is dealing with senior day and finals and the end of the year and what it really comes down to is being mentally tougher, stepping up and overcoming the adversity and obstacles and just play. They know how to play, they know how to play well and they just need to do it.”
For Princeton (33-16), Erin Snyder had 12 strikeouts in five innings in game one with Kristen Schaus recording eight strikeouts in four innings in the second game.
“I’m never happy with two losses however, Princeton is a very good team,” Carroll said. “I’m glad that we were able to play them going into the playoffs because they [Princeton] humbled us a little today and the players saw some things today that they still need to work on. Princeton gave us good pitchers to play live against and that’s going to make us better for the experience of striking out 24 times.”
On Saturday between games, the team honored the 2006 senior class, which has accounted for 98 wins and is looking for their second MAAC Title in four seasons.
"This has been a special group," Carroll said. "The best part of the eight game conference run to make the playoffs is not knowing when the last game will be. And that makes them play harder, especially the seniors because they don't want the season to ever end and that shows the committment that they have made to the program and our success over the last four seasons. As freshmen, they won the MAAC Championship (2003) and reached the title game in 2004. They are hungry and they want to make it back to the NCAA Tournament."
Rider travels to Stratford, Connecticut (DeLuca Field) for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Championships on Friday, May 12 through Sunday, May 14, having qualified for the playoffs in three of the last four seasons.
“The players know the effort that they put in to make the playoffs and we’ll continue working hard to make ourselves a better team entering the tournament next week,” Carroll said.
The Broncs (10-6 MAAC) are the number three seed for the double elimination conference tournament. The official pairings will be announced by the MAAC office on Monday.
The winner of the MAAC tournament advances to the 2006 NCAA Division I National Softball Championship Tournament.
-RU-
