Turner, Forte Homer in Opener as Softball Splits Rider

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J.- Saint Peter's University softball sophomore Jess Forte (Middlesex, N.J.) and freshman Tai Turner (Havre De Grace, Md.) both homered in a game one win as the Peacocks split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference twin bill against Rider University. The Peacocks took the opener 11-3 in six innings, while the Broncs won the nightcap 7-6.
 
The Peacocks stand at 25-16 and 4-8 in the MAAC while the Broncs moved to 14-26 and 4-8 in conference play.
 
Saint Peter's jumped out to an early lead with six runs over the first four innings as Turner connected on a three-run homerun in the first inning. Forte added a solo homerun in the second, while the Peacocks added a run in the inning on an error. The Peacocks added a run in the fourth as senior Courtney Fraher (Greenwich, N.Y.) drove in a run with a single.
 
The Broncs rallied with three runs in the fifth to close the gap to 6-3. Saint Peter's tacked on five runs in the sixth as Fraher doubled in a run, while sophomore Dakota Pitts (Abington, Md.) drove in a run with a single.
 
Graduate Sydney Senerchia (Northford, Conn.) earned her 14th win of the season, tossing 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with two strikeouts. Freshman Sydney Palmer (Fellsmere, Fla.) picked up her fifth save of the season, going the final 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit.
 
In the nightcap, the Broncs got on the board first with two runs in the second inning. The Peacocks rallied with a four-spot in the third as Pitts and Turner singled in runs with singles to tie the game at 2-2. Later in the inning, junior Maiah Skakal (Horseheads, N.Y.) put the Peacocks in the lead with a two-run single for a 4-2 lead.  
 
Rider got a run back in their half of the third but Saint Peter's added to their lead in the fourth. Graduate Anja Solveig Kane (Manchester, Township, N.J.) connected on a solo homerun in the fourth, while Skakal added a run scoring single in the fifth to push their lead to 6-3.
 
The Broncs rallied back in their last at-bat, plating four runs in the seventh to take game two 7-6.
 
The Peacocks travel to Fairleigh Dickinson University for a single game on Thursday, April 27 at 5:30 pm.    Read Full Article