March 12, 2007 - Rider 6 George Washington 1 / Cleveland State 3 Rider 2 / Day-Neutill 100th Career Hit
March 12, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Softball
Rider University 6, George Washington 1
Cleveland State 3, Rider University 2
Day-Neutill 100th career hit
ORLANDO, FLA—Junior Tiffany Day-Neutill became the 39th Bronc with 100 career hits and sophomore Laci Landrum spun a two-hitter as Rider split two games Monday at the Rebel Spring Games. “I though we played better,” said head coach Tricia Carroll. “The energy level was there and we played with more confidence.”
Day-Neutill (Agoura Hills, Calif./Oaks Christian), a pre-season All-MAAC selection, had four hits on the day, hitting the century mark with a single in the fifth inning of the second game.
“It was pretty cool picking up my 100th hit,” said Day-Neutill. “I knew I was close but I didn’t know that was my 100th until after the play. It feels great.”
“I am happy that Tiffany picked up her 100th hit,” said Carroll. “I think she may have been pressing a little and now she can just go out and play.”
In the first game, Landrum (Grand Praire, Texas/So. Grand Praire) threw a complete game, recording four strikeouts as the Broncs posted a 6-1 win over the Colonials.
“The game went really well,” said Landrum. “The defense played well behind me and it was a really good game. We are communicating a lot more and messing well as a team and not having to worry about the cold and snow and just being outside and able to play feels great.”
“Laci pitched well,” said Carroll. “We made the players behind her. She didn’t play in the fall so I didn’t know if we could get seven innings out of her but we had some quick innings and she did a nice job.”
Day-Neutill and freshman Derrin Minunni (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker) each had three hits with Minunni and freshman Megan Kozlowski (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock-North) each adding a double. Minunni had three RBI’s with senior Ashley Boulden (Brooklawn, N.J./Gloucester) and sophomore Katy Mills (Seattle, Wash./Mount Rainier) each adding two hits as part of the 13 hit offensive attack by the Broncs. Boulden also added two RBI’s in the game.
“I think we played well in the first game,” Day-Neutill added. “Laci did a great job keeping GW to one run and then out bats came alive. Everyone started hitting and making good contact and we started getting runs across.”
Rider (2-7) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by junior Aimee Schiller (Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) and tacked on a run in the third on an RBI double from Minunni. The Broncs broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning keyed by RBI hits from Minunni, freshman Candice Harris (Las Vegas, Nev./Coronado) and Boulden.
“I think our intensity was better today,” said Boulden. “We made a much better showing and communicated better and we are showing a desire to improve as a team. I had a lot of RBI chances today and that’s what I have to do when the runners on are base. I was able to put the ball in play and get that done for us. We saw some good pitching today and we were able to put the ball in play and as we see more live pitching, we are going to keep getting better at the plate.”
In the second game, the Broncs lost in the seventh inning 3-2 on a suicide squeeze. Rider scored in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead on an RBI double from Boulden. Mills added an RBI groundout in the third before Cleveland State got on the board with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning.
With Rider up 2-1 in the seventh and one out, Cleveland State tied the game on an RBI single before the bunt ended the game.
“We played well in the second game,” said Day-Neutill. “It’s always hard to lose a game like that. You never want to lose but if it is going to happen and you can take something out of it and learn something, then that will help us get better as the season goes along.”
Sophomore Lauren Brunner (Chino, Calif./Chino) went the distance for the Broncs, recording two strikeouts.
“We made a couple of mistakes we can learn from in the second game,” said Carroll. “A couple on the base paths and we knew the squeeze was coming and yes, we will learn from that. I would rather learn from it and win the game but we’ll be better for the experience of a one-run game.”
The Broncs are off Tuesday and play Fairleigh Dickinson and George Washington Wednesday.
-RU-
