Box Score - Game 2

May 13, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

College Softball
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Playoffs
# 2 Marist College 9, #3 Rider University 4
#3 Rider University 2, #1 Canisius College 0 (8 innings)

FAIRFIELD, CT— There will be a new champion in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference after Rider University upset the number one seed Canisius College 2-0 in the MAAC tournament hosted by Fairfield University Saturday.

Senior Jen Cullen (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Immaculata) hit a two-out, two-run walk off home run as Rider University (24-27), the number three seed, defeated the Golden Griffins.

Canisius defeated Rider two straight times in the 2004 MAAC playoffs, including 5-3 in the MAAC championship game and was the two-time defending conference champion.  Since 1998, the number one seed has not won the post season conference tournament.  Rider won the 2003 conference title and NCAA bid at DeLuca Field as the number three seed and are the third seed this year.  "We have some history here but each season is different and at this point, seeds are out the window, it's how you are playing now, this weekend," said head coach Tricia Carroll.  "But having a positive history at Fairfield and at DeLuca Field certainly doesn't hurt."

“This feels great, especially coming against Canisius,” said Cullen.  “We knew that we have the ability to play well and we just needed to put it all together.”

With 12 runners left on base, it seemed a matter of when Rider would score and not if.

“We weren’t pressing at all,” added Cullen.  “We just had to stay together and battle and pick each other up.  We needed to push a run across because Heather [Beintema] was pitching great.”

In the second game, senior Heather Beintema (La Mesa, Calif./Grossmont) pitched a complete game two-hitter with no walks and 10 strikeouts.

“We were good at getting runners on base and it was just a matter of time before we were able to get a run across,” said Beintema.  “I was just holding Canisius off long enough that we were able to finally able to score.  We haven’t been shutout too much this season [six times in 51 games] so I had every confidence that we would score that run.”

Cullen who doubled earlier in the game had four hits on the day with senior Jill Carrabus (Bellport, N.Y./Bellport) adding two hits in the second game.

“That’s one of the best softball games that I have ever been part of at Rider,” said Carroll speaking about game two.  “Canisius deserves a ton of credit; there was a reason that there were so many runners left of base.  Their pitchers were getting it done and they were making some great defensive plays.  This game felt different than game one, Heather was on this game and we fed off that.”

All of the Saturday games were moved to Fairfield University’s Alumni Softball Field after heavy rain washed out play at DeLuca Field in Stratford, Connecticut on Friday.

The Broncs took one on the chin, literally in the first game, losing to #2 Marist College (32-11) 9-4, with Beintema going the distance, recording five strikeouts allowing two earned runs as the Broncs made five errors.  On the second play of the game, junior Ashley Boulden (Brooklawn, N.J./Gloucester) was hit on a bunt attempt but was able to remain in the game after some quick work by the training staff from Rider, Fairfield and the local EMS at the tournament.  Boulden had two hits including a double and two RBI’s in the game and now has 98 career hits.

“There was frustration during the first game,” Beintema added.  “But our motto has been to leave it there, learn from the mistakes, take the positives and forget the rest and focus on the second game.  As seniors, with our back against the wall, the team looks to us to step up and lead and we were able to do that in the second game.  I just knew that if I didn’t pitch better, we would be going home and none of us wanted that to happen.”

“My job is done at this point, I make the lineup but it is up to them,” said Carroll who has led the Broncs to the MAAC playoffs in three of the past four seasons.  “The senior class has been tremendous and all of us want to keep this going as long as possible.  I know that they will go out tomorrow [Sunday] and give it all they have.  Today was a gut check and they responded.  I’m not sure if it is because their backs are against the wall again but they played a great game and have done all that I asked of them.  They were nervous a little and upset about how they played this morning and they responded with a great effort in the second game.  We are still playing and that’s all that counts.”

Sophomore Tiffany Day-Neutill (Agoura Hills, Calif./Oaks Christian) walked twice in the second game, breaking the Rider team record for most walks in a season, set by Deanna Dovak (27) in 2002.  Day-Neutill now has 28 walks on the year.

After the five error game and 13 errors in the past three games, Rider make no errors in the second game.

“Defense is always big,” added Carroll.  “We struggled this morning but it’s not as if they were trying to make mistakes.  Sometimes you try too hard and games like that happen.  It’s how you respond to the adversity that shows the true character and makeup of your team.  They know what it takes and they have the ability to do it.”

In other tournament action, #4 Fairfield upset #1 seeded Canisius 3-1 and in the winner’s bracket game #2 Marist defeated #4 Fairfield 4-3 to advance to the championship round.  Fairfield will face Rider at 10:00am on Sunday, with the winner also advancing to the championship round at DeLuca Field in Stratford, Connecticut.

-RU-