LAWRENCEVILLE, New Jersey – The Marist University softball team split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader at Rider on Tuesday.
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After dropping the first game by a score of 7-6, Marist bounced back for a 4-0 victory in game two.
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- Miah McDonald's solo homer to right-center field got Marist on the scoreboard in the top of the first.
- The Red Foxes added three in the top of the third. Ronni Howard came home following a muffed throw on a Peyton Pusey bunt. Haley Ahr followed with a two-run single, which brought home Kaitlyn Husic and Pusey.
- Rider scored one in the bottom of the fourth, which cut Marist's lead to 4-1.
- Marist countered in the top of the fifth. Ahr led off the inning with a double, and she came home on Sienna Kunze's sacrifice fly.
- Rider scored six in the bottom of the fifth. The Broncs had six hits, capitalized on two Marist errors, and sent 12 to the plate.
- Maddie Pleasants homered to lead off the top of the seventh, which cut Marist's deficit to 7-6, but the Red Foxes were unable to generate any baserunners after that.
- Pleasants led Marist by going 3-for-4.
- Ahr went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double.
- Rider outhit Marist, 10-8.
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- Marist accounted for all of the game's runs by scoring four in the top of the third. Pusey led off with a bunt single, and McDonald followed with a two-run homer. After a single by Ahr, Sienna Kunze delivered a two-run homer.
- Pleasants went the distance in the circle on a four-hitter. She struck out 12.
- McDonald finished 2-for-4. The Red Foxes finished with six hits.
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- Pleasants has recorded at least 10 strikeouts in three straight outings. In that span, she has struck out 41 in 22 innings.
- Pleasants has also reached base in 21 straight games, and she has 13 home runs in her last 19 games.
- McDonald has now reached base in 37 straight games.
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- Marist is 31-7-1 overall and 8-2-1 in the MAAC.
- Rider is 14-27 overall and 8-8 in conference play.
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- Marist returns to action with a three-game series at Sacred Heart this weekend.
- The Red Foxes and Pioneers will play a doubleheader on Friday, followed by a single game on Saturday.
- First pitch on both days is set for noon.