Sports

Broncs Sweep Rider Invitational

Track teams thrive at home

The Rider University men’s and women’s track and field teams hosted the Rider Invitational Saturday. The Bronc men finished in first out of 14-teams (231.5-points) and the women finished first out of 13-teams (260-points).

For the Rider women, freshman Madeline Hummel (Marlton/Holy Cross) won the 400-meter hurdles (1:02.45) in Rider record time. 

Freshman Dashana Ransome (Irvington) finished first in the 100-meter hurdles in ECAC qualifying time (14.26) and the 100-meter dash (12.44), freshman Miranda Roberts (Sewell/Washington Twp.) was first in the pole vault (3.27m) and junior Rhea Phipps (Basking Ridge/Ridge) was first in the hammer throw (50.11m).

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For the Rider men, junior Steven Brown (Penns Grove) finished first in the long jump (6.91m), sophomore George Solujich (East Windsor/Notre Dame) finished first in the discus throw (44.03m) and second in the shot put (15.89m), reaching an IC4A qualifying mark in the shot put. Freshman Darnell Charles (Mays Landing/Oakcrest) finished first in the triple jump (14.13m), senior Greg Wesh (Horsham, Pa/Hatboro-Horsham) finished first in the 1500-meter run (3:58.64), senior David Hightower (Easton, Pa/Easton) finished first in the 110-meter hurdles in IC4A qualifying time (14.74), sophomore Nasser Zayer (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter’s) finished first in the 5000-meter run (15:18.18) and junior Wilvenson Baptiste (Irvington) finished first in the 100-meter dash (11.01) and second in the 200-meter dash (22.28). 

Also for the Bronc women, freshman La’tazah Coleman (Middletown, Del./Appoquinimink) tied for second in the high jump with teammate freshman Daria Chadwick (Summit), reaching 1.61m. Coleman also finished second in both the 100-meter hurdles (15.34m) and 400-meter dash (57.16), senior Erin Fitzgibbons (Sayreville) was second in the 3000-meter steeplechase, junior Treasure Burke (Pennsauken, N.J./Camden Catholic) was second in the hammer throw (49.41) and freshman Nicole Georgia (Lincoln Park/Boonton) was second in the 200-meter dash (26.30). 

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Also for the Bronc men, junior Quintin Robin (Jamison, Pa/Central Bucks East) was second in the pole vault and senior James Burroughs (West Orange) was second in the 400-meter hurdles. 

The women’s 4x800-meter relay team of senior Megan Elgin (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East), senior Paige McAtee (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa), senior Jillian Shutt (Lawrenceville, Pa./Williamson) and freshman Stephanie Welte (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Basil’s Academy) finished second in 9:41.43. 

The men’s 4x100-meter relay team of Charles, Baptiste, sophomore Jalen Thomas (Baltimore, Md./Reservoir) and sophomore Anthony DeFranco (Berkeley Heights/Governor Livingston) won in 42.56.

The rider men finished runner-up and the women were third at the 2012 Rider Invitational. 

The Rider men and women will split up and run at the Larry Ellis Invitational, hosted by Princeton University on April 19 and at the Greyhound Invitational, hosted Moravian College on April 20. 

In other Rider News:

  • The Rider University men’s golf team competed at the Princeton Invitational this weekend. The 54-hole competition was held Saturday and Sunday at the Springfield par 71-6,390 yard Golf Course.

After a final round of 325, the Bronc men finished in 14th place (625) out of 14 teams in a competitive field. The Broncs shot a 310 and 325 in the first two rounds which were played Saturday. 

For Rider, sophomore Luke Liddell (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) finished tied for 62nd place after a final round of 81. Liddell shot a 74 and 82 in the first two rounds for a three round total of 237. 

Seniors Evan McGrain (West Windsor/WW-P South) and junior James Buttermark (Staten Island, N.Y/Monsignor Farrell) finished tied for 64th place with a final score of 238. McGrain golfed rounds of 74-82-82 and Buttermark shot rounds of 81-81-76.

Also for the Broncs, sophomore Cole Clark (Califon/Voorhees) finished in 71st place (81-80-84-245) and senior Beau Guarino (Burlington Township) finished tied for 73rd place (84-82-81-247). 

Next up for the Broncs is the Peacock Invitational on April 23 before the MAAC Championships in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 

  • The Rider University softball team split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader against Iona College on Sunday afternoon at Herb and Joan Young Field.

For Rider (7-31, 3-5 MAAC), senior Kehli Washington (Lulea, Sweden/New Rochelle) had five hits on the day and scored four times.

Rider won the opener 10-6, despite being out-hit by Iona.

In the opener, Rider jumped out to a 4-0 first inning lead, including a three-run home run by freshman Dana Sensi (Allentown).  For Sensi, who had three hits on the day, it was her team-leading fifth home run of the season.

Iona bunched together five of its 12 hits to tie the game at 4-4 in the top of the fourth inning.

The Broncs rallied right back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore Allysen Breeden (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) hit an RBI single with the bases loaded and the bases were cleared on the ensuing Iona error to give the Broncs a 7-4 lead.

Sophomore Amanda Irving (Westminster, Md./Westminster) hit a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning, putting the Broncs ahead 9-4 and freshman Kim Valdes (Jupiter, Fla./King's Academy) hit her first collegiate home run to give Rider a six-run cushion.  Irving had three hits, two runs scored and two RBI in the opener, five hits on the day and has now hit safely in 12 straight games.  Valdes had four hits, three RBI and scored twice in the doubleheader.

Iona (8-28, 4-4 MAAC) scored two runs on three hits in the top of the seventh inning for the final score.

Freshman Ali Meagher (Clark/Arthur L. Johnson) went the distance, recording one strikeout for her first collegiate win.

In the nightcap, despite out-hitting the Gaels, Rider lost a wild 10-5 decision in extra innings after leaving 16 runners on base.

Iona took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on four hits, including a two-run single with two outs.

The Gaels used an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to open up a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning.

Rider rallied with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, on an RBI single by Sensi and a two-run single by Valdes, cutting the deficit to 4-3.  Sensi had three hits and four RBI on Sunday.

Iona took advantage of a Rider error to plate one run in the top of the seventh to lead 5-3 heading into the bottom of the frame.

The Broncs would not go down quietly as sophomore Gina McCool (Marlton/Cherokee) doubled and with one out, sophomore Lauren Davies (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley) launched her first home run of the season to send the game into extra innings.  Davies entered the game batting .142.

Rider made a crucial error on a sacrifice bunt in the top of the eighth inning and Iona used three hits and a sacrifice fly to plate five runs for the final score.

The Broncs opened the bottom of the eighth inning with three straight singles but the rally was short lived after Rider lined into a double play with the final batter retired by strikeout to end the game.

Meagher threw all eight innings in the second game, recording two strikeouts while allowing five earned runs.

Rider and Iona split two games in New Rochelle, New York last season with the Broncs winning 1-0 and losing 5-3 in the second game.  Iona swept Rider 6-0 and 2-1 in 2011 in Lawrenceville and the Gaels won both games in New Rochelle (1-0 and 11-1) in 2010.  Rider has won 18 of the 33 games all-time in the series.  The teams split in Lawrenceville in 2009 with Rider winning the second game 4-3.

Rider travels to Delaware on Wednesday for a non-conference game at 3pm.


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