LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – The Sacred Heart University softball team claimed its first win in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play on Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader at Rider. The Broncs took the opener, 9-6, before the Pioneers dominated game two with an 11-4 win, recording a season-high 16 hits in the victory.   

Team Records
Sacred Heart (10-11, 1-1 MAAC)
Rider (7-18, 1-1 MAAC)

Game 1: RID 9, SHU 6
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 9 earned runs, 8 strikeouts, 4-6 record)
Kathryn Schmierer (RID) - (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 6 earned runs, 1 strikeout, 1-7 record)

Top Performers:
Carly Koltko – 2-4, 4 RBIs, 1 run, 1 home run 
Jess Brown – 2-4, 1 run

Of Note:
The pitchers controlled the start of today's opener, as the two teams combined for four hits through the first four innings. Sam Kowalski struck out five batters in the first four frames and allowed just one hit. Unfortunately for SHU, the one hit was a solo home run. 

Rider's lead grew from 1-0 to 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth. The Broncs plated five on five hits to build a commanding lead. 

Sacred Heart's offense started to come alive in the sixth, plating three to cut the margin to 6-3. Two singles and a walk quickly loaded the bases before Kowalski was hit by a pitch to bring the first run in. Carly Koltko stepped to the plate next, sending a single up the middle to make it 6-2. Nicole Henke ended the scoring with an RBI ground out to send SHU into the bottom of the sixth down three. 

The Broncs answered in the home half of the frame with three runs to build a 9-3 advantage. Rider scored all three runs with two outs. 

Two quick outs put the Pioneers behind the eight ball in the seventh before Charlene Davis was hit by a pitch. Kowalski got the plate next and sent a single to center, putting runners on second and third for Koltko, who smashed a three-run homer to right center to draw the margin to 9-6. Rider forced a fly-out in the next at-bat to seal an MAAC-opening win for the Broncs. 

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Game 2: SHU 11, RID 4
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) - (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 6 strikeouts, 3-4 record)
Fallyn Stoeckel (RID) - (L, 0.1 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 2-4 record)
Gabi Rodriguez (RID) - (4.1 innings pitched, 6 earned runs)
Kathryn Schmierer (RID) - (2.1 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 strikeout)

Top Performers:
Cierra Bender – 3-5, 2 RBIs, 1 run
Elle Leckrone – 3-4, 3 runs, 1 double, 1 walk
Savannah Moore – 3-5, 2 runs

Of Note:
The Pioneers bounced back quickly in the second game, putting four on the scoreboard in the first to build an early lead. SHU's first three hitters all singled to load the bases before an error by the opposing third baseman brought the first two runs across. Koltko stepped to the plate next and tallied a sacrifice fly to left. Cierra Bender then singled through the left side to give the Pios a 4-0 lead. 

Rider scored one in the bottom of the first inning, and the second inning was scoreless as SHU entered the third ahead by 4-1. 

In the third, the Pioneers added two more runs to take a 6-1 lead. With two out, Bender started the scoring frame with a single before Henke brought her home with a double to center. A dropped fly ball allowed Henke to score from second for the sixth run of the afternoon. 

Rider again answered with one run in the third, while SHU retaliated with two more in the top of the fourth. After the leadoff batter grounded out, Elle Leckrone sailed a hit over the centerfielder's head for a standup double. Koltko drove Leckrone home with a single to left for the first run, while Bender brought Koltko home with a single of her own to set the margin at 8-2. 

The Pioneers added three more runs in the top of the fifth to set the lead at 11-2. A single and back-to-back walks loaded the bases for SHU, with Davis plating two with a single to center field. Morgan Teodosio capped the frame with an RBI single of her own for Sacred Heart's 11th run. 

Rider scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but scoreless sixth and seventh innings sealed an 11-4 victory for SHU, its first as a member of the MAAC. 

SHU's 16 hits in game two are a season-high for the team. The Pios had not tallied 16 hits in a game since their 9-3 win over Stonehill on Mar. 30 of last season. 

Emily Heath tallied her third complete game of the year in the circle, improving her record to 3-4. The junior struck out a season-high six batters. 

At the plate, Savannah Moore, Leckrone and Bender all tallied three hits. Leckrone scored three times, while Bender, Davis and Koltko all had two RBIs. 

Up Next
The Pios and Broncs hit the field tomorrow at noon for the rubber match.