Raiders Softball Starts 2011 With a 4-2 Record

Orlando, FL - The Rivier College softball team enjoyed their spring break at Disney World in Orlando, FL competing in their first competitions of the 2011 season as they get set to defend the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title that they won in 2010.  The Raiders started off to a great start going 4-2 on the week and getting the 9 freshman on the team accustomed to playing at the next level.

March 9: Penn State Hazelton - Game 1

Rivier College Softball opened up its 2011 season down at the Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. The Raiders opened against Penn State Hazelton and won 8-7 in thrilling fashion.

Rivier wasted no time in the top of the first as Freshman Nicole Peacock lead off with a single and steal. After an Amanda Ryan walk the combination of Marissa Mercier, Karen Waterman and Amanda Thornton all with doubles opened up the inning with a 4-0 lead. Penn State came right back in the bottom of the inning with 3 runs on 2 Rivier errors to cut the lead to 4-3.

In the third Rivier tacked on 3 more runs. A Catherine Roy single, Amanda Ryan double and a Marissa Mercier walk set the table for 2 rbi's on a single by Amanda Thornton. Rivier would tack on another run in the 5th and was cruising into the bottom of the 7th with an 8-3 lead.

The Raiders almost let this one slip with some errors and miscues in the 7th as the Lions cut the lead to 8-7 and had the third out of the inning gunned down at the plate on a perfect execution relay from Amanda Thornton to Britnii Dyer to Amanda Ryan who blocked home plate.

Freshmen Hillary Tarr pitched a great game going 7 innings and only giving up two earned runs in earning her first collegiate victory.

Game 2

The shaky defense from the first game carried over into the second game as the Raiders fell to 1-1 on the season losing 7-4 to Penn State Hazelton.

The pitching was once again solid as freshman Hillary Tarr (1-1) and Lauren Beatty combined for 7 solid innings giving up two earned runs with each giving up one. The defense just couldn't make the plays on this day as the Raiders gave up 9 errors and 5 unearned runs.

Rivier threatened all day but just couldn't get the timely hit to catch the Lions. Freshmen Nicole Peacock led the offense going 2-4 with 2 stolen bases and 2 runs scored.

March 11: Cedar Crest College - Game 1

Rivier College came out in the top of the first inning and scored 3 runs en route to a 12-1 win over Cedar Crest College in 5 innings. Rivier is now 2-1 on the season.

Rivier's offense was lead by freshmen Nicole Peacock who went 3-4 2 stolen bases, 1 rbi and 2 runs scored. Freshmen Catherine Roy, Britnii Dyer and Sophomore Marissa Mercier all had 2 hits each with Dyer hitting her first collegiate home run.

Freshmen Hillary Tarr picked up her second win of the season going 4 innings giving up no earned runs and Sophomore Nadjeska Reynolds pitched a solid inning to close out the game.

Game 2

Rivier College once again jumped out to an early lead and never look back as they went on to beat Cedar Crest College 11-0 to go to 3-1 on the season.

Freshman Lauren Beatty made her first collegiate start on the mound and pitched 4 solid innings scattering 3 hits and striking out 3 in earning the win. Once again Sophomore Nadjeska Reynolds closed the game out with a perfect inning striking out a batter.

The offense was firing on all cylinders with everyone in the lineup getting a hit. Freshmen Catherine Roy who went 4-4 on the day led the attack. Amanda Ryan, Marissa Mercier, Karen Waterman and Amanda Thornton all had multiple hit games with Mercier collecting her first home run of the year.

March 12: Rutgers-Camden - Game 1

A veteran Rutgers-Camden came out in the first inning and jumped all over the young Rivier

Raiders (3-2) as they went on to a 7-3 victory.

After going down 4-1 in the first inning Rivier slowly snuck back in the game with a Lauren Beatty home run to cut the lead to 4-2. Rutgers put up a run in the 2nd and 3rd innings to go up once again 6-2 before the freshmen slugger Beatty hit her second home run of the game to cut it to 6-3 mid-way through the 5th. Rutgers then tacked on one more and Rivier would never threaten again in the last two innings.

Freshman Lauren Beatty and Catherine Roy lead the offensive attack on this day. Lauren hitting two home runs and scoring and Roy hitting a double and scoring on a pass ball.

Freshmen Hillary Tarr (2-2) received the loss pitching 3 innings giving up 6 runs while striking out 1.

Game 2

Rivier College (4-2) came out strong in game 2 and left no doubt that this young team is not going to roll over as they jumped all over Rutgers-Camden en route to a 7-4 win.

Sophomore Nadjeska Reynolds making her first collegiate start picked up the win pitching 6.1 innings giving up no earned runs. Freshman Lauren Beatty came in and shut the door getting the last two outs.

In the second inning Lauren Beatty, Mandy Thornton and Nadjeska Reynolds all got on around two outs. Nicole Peacock legged out a grounder to first which the first baseman bobbled for a 1-0 lead. Then freshmen Catherine Roy cleared the bases with a three run double and the Raiders were on top 4-0. Rutgers would get its first run of the game in the 3rd before Rivier scored single runs in the 3rd, 4th and 5th innings. Catherine Roy would hit a home run and Lauren Beatty would hit her third home run of the day.

In the 7th a couple of Rivier miscues and a couple of hits made the score 7-4 before Lauren Beatty shut the door on Rutgers- Camden (4-2).

The Raiders will have the next two weeks off for practice before resuming play on March 26th when they travel to New Haven, CT to take on Albertus Magnus College for a GNAC double header.