LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (April 11, 2023)--Visiting Rider for the first time in program history, the Morgan State softball team would see its four-game winning streak come to an end on Tuesday afternoon to the Broncs, 9-1 in six innings in Game 1 of a non-conference doubleheader at Herb & Joan Young Field. The host Broncs would then claim Game 2 with a 5-2 victory.
 
The losses were the Lady Bears' first against Rider in the series' seven meetings. Morgan State fell to 20-15 with the defeats, while the Broncs ended a nine-game losing streak and improved to 8-22.
 
The Broncs jumped on Morgan State in the bottom of the first inning of Game 1, scoring three runs on three hits. Rider began the inning with back-to-back singles by Jessie Niegocki and Gianna Epps. Julie Harsche stepped to the plate and reached base on a bunt single, advanced to second on a throwing error and would score. Both Niegocki and Epps had also scored on the play, giving the hosts an early 3-0 lead.
 
Morgan State starting pitcher Emily Raubuch would settle in and retire the next three batters she faced, all by strikeout to end the inning.
 
Rider got back on the board in the third inning on a homerun to left field by Harsche to increase the lead to 4-0.
 
The Broncs struck again in the fifth inning when Jadeyn Merrill hit a three-run homer to left center with two outs to extend the cushion to 7-0.
 
Morgan finally broke through in the sixth inning. Chandler Mitchell led off the inning with a single to center field, then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Mitchell would eventually score on a sacrifice bunt by Asia Thomas to cut the deficit to 7-1.
 
However, the Broncs would score twice in the bottom half of the inning to earn the 9-1 victory in six innings. Kristyn Gardner scored on a throwing error Maddie Luedtke singled up the middle and Gardner scored on a throwing error for the eighth run of the game. Niegocki stepped in and also singled up the middle to score Brianna Koonce for the final run.
 
Rider finished the game scoring nine runs on 11 hits. Morgan State tallied a run on three hits and committed two errors.
 
Niegocki went the distance for the Broncs, allowing one run on three hits and striking out 13 batters to earn the complete-game win.
 
Mia Ewell led Morgan State with two hits and Mitchell recorded the team's third hit.
 
Raubuch, who was charged with the loss, would go four innings, surrendering four runs on five hits, while recording four strikeouts.
 
Game 2
Rider scored three runs in the second to go up 3-0, following a two-run single hit to right center by Koonce.
 
The Lady Bears got a run back in the fourth on Madison Bolyea's double to right field, which scored Mitchell.
 
The score would remain 3-1 until the bottom of the sixth when Olivia Burroughs homered to right center, scoring Chelsea Weatherford and increasing the Broncs lead to 5-1.

Morgan State rounded out the scoring in the top of the seventh with its final run coming on a bunt single by Nia Lewis, coupled by a throwing error on the pitcher, which allowed Alison Keener to score for the 5-2 final.
 
Bolyea (2-for-3) and Lewis (2-for-2) each recorded two hits to lead the Lady Bears. Keener went 1-for-2 with a run and Mitchell scored the other run for Morgan.
 
Burroughs finished a game-high 3-for-3 with two runs and 2RBI, while Koonce went 2-for-3 at the plate with 2RBI.
 
The Broncs Kathryn Schmierer (2-7) earned the win, while Morgan's Anaya Hunte (12-6) was charged with the loss.
 
Schmierer went the distance, allowing two runs on five hits and threw a game-high six strikeouts in seven innings of work. Hunte tallied three strikeouts in six innings.
 
Morgan State will return to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play this weekend when it travels to Princess Anne, Md. to take on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The Lady Bears will face the Hawks in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 15 starting at 1 p.m. and will conclude the series on Sunday with a single game at 12 p.m. All three contests will be played at Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex in Salisbury, Md.  

 
FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE 
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more. 
• Follow us on social media:
Facebook: /MorganStateBears
Twitter: @MorganStBears
Instagram: /MorganStateBears

ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
  Read Full Article