Softball Sweeps Concordia M’head and Sage

LEESBURG, Fla. – The Rivier softball team started the 2024 season earning a pair of wins on Monday at The Spring Games, downing Concordia M'head, 3-2, in eight innings before holding on for a 14-12 triumph over Sage.

Noelle Sass begins her head coaching career with a 2-0 record.

Rivier snapped a 16-game losing streak for games played in The Sunshine State. This is also the program's first 2-0 start to the season since 2021.

Rivier heads back to Leesburg, Fla. on Tuesday, March 5 to face St. Vincent at 12:15 p.m. and Elizabethtown at 2:30 p.m.

Rivier 3, Concordia M'head 2 (8 innings) 

Concordia M'head tallied two quick runs in the first inning to grab an early advantage.

It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth when Kylee Caetano of Rivier singled to right field, scoring Olivia Couto, to put the Raiders on the board. Avry Nelson then singled through the left side pushing Amanda Atkison across the plate to tie the game at 2-2, forcing the contest into the extra innings.

After shutting down the Cobbers' offense in the top half, the Raiders won the ballgame 3-2 on a walk-off passed ball as Christina Panagiotopoulos made a heads-up baserunning decision to give her team the victory.

First-year pitcher Hailey Berube pitched a complete game, totaling seven strikeouts and earning her first collegiate win.  

Rivier 14, Sage 12 

Leading 3-2 in the top of the third, Courtney Marioles hit a long double to left center pushing in Christina Panagiotopoulos before Sophia Quinlan ripped a single up the middle to drive in Marioles from second. Avry Nelson pushed in Quinlin with a single up the middle of her own, pushing the Raiders lead to four runs.

In the top of the fourth, a leadoff double from Hayley Rapaglia jumpstarted a six-run surge to make it 12-3 in favor of Rivier. 

Sage started to battle back in the bottom of the fifth grabbing four runs on four hits and an error to cut its deficit to five.

Riv scored for the final time in the top of the sixth as Amanda Atkinson recorded a two-RBI double which would serve as the eventual game-winning runs.

Sydney Greeno came in to pitch in the bottom of the sixth and rolled a double play with one runner on to send it to the seventh. Rivier was unable to add insurance in the top of the seventh, sending the Gators to bat with a chance to walk it off. Riv would surrender five runs in the frame, but a popup with two outs and the bases loaded got the Raiders out of trouble for their second straight victory.

Courtney Marioles was the starting pitcher for the Raiders, totaling five innings with two strikeouts to collect the win.

Rivier's offense provided 20 hits to push across 14 runs to help the team hang on for a narrow two-run victory in game two.

Six Raiders, Atkinson, Caetano, Quinlan, Nelson, Hayley Rapaglia, Courtney Marioles, and Olivia Couto, all delivered doubles in the contest.

Nelson and Caetano drove in three RBIs apiece.