WOMEN'S SOFTBALL

HEAD COACH: Kelly O'Connell
PHONE: (603) 897-8657;koconnell@rivier.edu

Raiders eliminated from NCAA Tournament

May 11, 2008

Rivier 0             Wellesley 8
 
The Raiders came out flat on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball in Day 3 of the NCAA Tournament. Wellesley took advantage of several Raider miscues and scored single runs in the second, third and fourth innings. The Blue then erupted for 5 runs on 4 errors in the 5th inning to invoke the mercy rule on Riv for the first time this season. The Raiders had several chances to push runs across as they left runners in scoring position in 3 of the 5 innings played. Their best chance came in the 4th when junior Ann Marie Day started the inning off with a single. Sophomore Brenna Campbell induced a base on balls and freshman Shannon Mansfield hit an infield single to load the bases with 1 out. The Wellesley pitcher then went to work and got the next 2 Riv batters to strike out. Sophomore Monica White led the offense for Riv as she finished with 2 hits and a stolen base. Mansfield and Day had the only other hits for the Raiders. White got the start in the circle and gave up just 1 earned run on the day while striking out 6 Blue batters.
 
Riv finishes the season 25-14. This is their second consecutive 25-win season. The Raiders also made history as they are the first team in Rivier College history to win an NCAA Tournament game.

Raiders stay alive with NCAA Tournament win

May 10, 2008

Raider softball team makes Rivier College history by being the only team to win an NCAA Tournament game
 
Rivier College 1            Lesley University 0
 
This was a pitcher's duel that saw only 1 run cross homeplate. The Raiders went down in order in the first 2 innings and did not have a base hit until the 3rd when freshman Amanda Ryan led the inning off with a single. That opportunity was sqandered by Riv as a strikeout and pop-up ended the threat after Ryan was sacrificed over to 2nd base. The 4th inning proved to be the crucial inning for the Raiders as they were able to score the game's only run during that inning. Sophomore Monica White led things off with a single. Freshman Nikki Bondanza reached base on a fielder's choice that got White out at 2nd. Junior Ann Marie Day kept the rally alive as she laced a single down the right field line that allowed Bondanza to get all the way to 3rd base. Junior Jenna Beadle came to the plate and hit a soft infield grounder that plated Bondanza. The Lynx got out of the inning by inducing a pop-up and fly-out to end the threat. Sophomore Monica White went to work and retired the Lesley hitters in order in both the 5th and 6th innings. White allowed a base hit in the 7th with 1 out but struck the next batter out and got the final out on a pop-up to freshman Kelsy LaRose at second base. White was dominant in the circle as picked up her school-record 21st win. It was White's 8th shutout of the season as she K'd 13 batters while allowing only 4 hits.
 
The rain kept the Raiders from playing another game today. They will take the field tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 p.m. as they take on Wellesley University. Wellesley was a 3-2 winner over Lesley University on Day 1 of the NCAA Regional Tournament.

Raiders lose 1st game in the NCAA Tournament

May 9, 2008

Rivier 3         #25 Tufts University 6
 
The Raiders took on the #25 team in the country in the first-round game of the NCAA Regional Tournament. The Jumbos wasted little time setting the tone as they drove in 3 runs in the 1st inning. They tacked on another run in the 3rd before the Raiders exploded for 3 runs of their own in the 6th to make it a 1-run game heading into the bottom of the inning. Freshman Shannon Mansfield led off the 6th inning with a single. Senior Aimee Fullford got on base on a fielder's choice that advanced Mansfield to second base. Freshman Julie Abraham followed suit and singled to load the bases with 1 out. Freshman Nikki Bondanza stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI single that scored Mansfield. That's when junior Ann Marie Day delivered a clutch 2-out, 2-RBI single up the middle. Freshman Amanda Ryan, sophomore Monica White and Day had 2 hits apiece while freshmen Julie Abraham and Shannon Mansfield both collected a hit. White got tagged with the loss as she gave up 11 hits and struck out just 1 in 6 innings pitched.
 
The Raiders will be back in action tomorrow as they take on the Lynx from Lesley University (30-11). Game time is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Rhode Island College.

Raiders ranked in the NEISCA Coaches Poll

May 1, 2008

The Rivier College Softball Program has just been ranked in the New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association (NEISCA) Division III Top 10. This is the first NEISCA ranking in Raiders history. Rivier qualified for the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament as a #6 seed. They finished tournament play this past weekend and were named GNAC Champions after beating Pine Manor College 2-1 in the Championship Game. This is the first time in GNAC history that a #6 seed has gone on to win the tournament championship. With the win, the Raiders advance to the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament for the first time in program history.
 
NEISCA Division III Top 10
 
1.    Endicott College            35-4
2.    Tufts University              25-8
3.    Wellesley College         26-8-1
4.    Springfield College       29-15
5.    Eastern Connecticut     24-10
6.    Western Connecticut    28-11
7.    Brandeis University       33-8-1
8.    Wheaton College          29-14
9.    Bridgewater State        23-15
10.  Rivier College             24-12         
 
 
Others receiving votes:    Clark University, Wesleyan University, WNEC, Simmons College, Keene State

Beadle, Robar, Wilson & White named to the GNAC All Tournament Team

April 28, 2008

Junior Jenna Beadle and sophomores Jillian Robar and Sara Wilson were named to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) All Tournament Team while sophomore Monica White was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Junior Jenna Beadle was outstanding behind the dish all tournament. She caught every game and allowed just 1 passed ball. Offensively, Beadle hit from the 4-hole all 5 games and finished with 4 RBI including the game winning RBI in a 3-2 victory versus PMC on Saturday. Her biggest play came in the championship game when she tagged out the potential game-tying run and then completed the double play with a head's up throw to third base to end the threat. Sophomore Jillian Robar had a solid tournament as she was 6-17 (.353) at the plate. Robar made a lot of positive things happen on the bases as she utilized her speed and aggressive baserunning to keep the defenses on their heels. In the championship game, Robar's defense solidified the win for Riv. She had 4 putouts of the shoestring variety and, in the 6th inning, threw out what would have been the game-tying run at the plate. Sophomore Sara Wilson led the team in hits (9) and average (.450) during the tournament. She had 3 doubles and 3 RBI and was 3 for 4 in the Championship game. It was Sara's focus and intensity against Pine Manor on Saturday afternoon that propelled the Raiders to the Championship game. She had 2 of Riv's 3 RBI that day and played exceptional defense at 2nd base. Sophomore Monica White went 5-1 in tournament play and picked up win #20 on the season. In 39 innings pitched, White gave up 28 hits while striking out 54 hitters. Her best pitching performance came against Simmons as she hurled her second career no-hitter while striking out 14. In the championship game, White allowed just 1 run and struck out 9 Gator batters and was 3 for 4 at the plate.

White named GNAC Pitcher of the Year

April 28, 2008

Sophomore Monica White (Augusta, ME) has just been named the 2008 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Pitcher of the Year. This is the second time White has picked up this award. Last season, White was both the Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Monica picked up her 20th win of the season during the championship game of the GNAC Tournament. On the season, White is 20-7 with a 0.81 ERA. She has 244 strikeouts in 182 innings pitched. White also leads the team in hitting as she currently has a .404 batting average. Monica was named the GNAC Pitcher of the Week 4 times this season and was named the GNAC Tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Raiders going Dancin'!!
Riv wins GNAC Tournament and receives automatic bid to the Big Dance

April 27, 2008

Rivier 1           Pine Manor 5
Rivier 2           Pine Manor 1
 
The Raiders (24-12) went into today's games needing only 1 victory to win the GNAC Championship and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Pine Manor came out in Game 1 determined to give Riv a fight. The Gators jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning on an error and 3 consecutive base hits. PMC pushed another run across in the 3rd and 2 more in the 7th to put the finishing touches on Game 1. The Raider offense was only able to produce 1 run on 5 hits. Junior Ann Marie Day, sophomores Jillian Robar and Brenna Campbell and freshmen Nikki Bondanza and Shannon Mansfield each picked up a hit for Riv. Sophomore Monica White got the start and got banged around for 3 runs on 6 hits in 4 innings of work. Sophomore Brenna Campbell came on in relief and struck out 3 in 3 innings pitched.
 
Game 2 was a different story as the Raiders settled their nerves and got down to business. Riv jumped out front with 2 runs in the top half of the 2nd inning. Senior Kim Pease got on base to start things off after the catcher dropped a 3rd strike. Sophomore Brenna Campbell followed with a single. Head's up baserunning by Pease got her to 3rd base. Junior Ann Marie Day stepped up and delivered a sacrifice fly to left field to score Pease. Sophomore Jillian Robar followed with an RBI single of her own in the very next at-bat. Riv received outstanding offensive performances by sophomores Monica White and Sara Wilson who each finished 3 for 4. Senior Aimee Fullford did a great job in the leadoff spot as she got on base in 3 of her 4 at-bats. It was the defense of Jillian Robar and junior Jenna Beadle, however, that helped the Raiders take home the Championship Trophy. With Riv up 2-1, the Gators had runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs in the 6th inning. A base hit was sent out to Robar in left field. The runner at 2nd rounded 3rd and headed for home with what would have been the game-tying run. Robar fired the ball to Beadle who tagged out the runner. Beadle then hucked the ball to 3rd baseman, Nikki Bondanza, who laid a tag on another baserunner to complete the double play. Sophomore Monica White then struck out the final batter of the 6th to end the threat. White pitched a solid 7 innings in picking up her 20th win of the season. She yielded just 1 run on 9 hits while striking out 9.
 
Junior Jenna Beadle and sophomores Jillian Robar and Sara Wilson were named to the All-Tournament Team. Sophomore Monica White was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Player.
 
The Raiders now await word from the NCAA Selection Committee to see who their first-round opponent will be and where the game will be played. This will be the first appearance in the National Tournament for the Raider Softball Program.

Raiders take down #1 and #2 seeds in GNAC Tourney
Riv advances to the GNAC Championship Game

April 26, 2008
 
Rivier 2          Simmons 0
Rivier 3        Pine Manor 2
 
All it took in Game 1 was one pitcher and one big bat to do the job. Sophomore Monica White was as dominant in the circle as she has been all season. She hurled her second career no-hitter while striking out 14 Sharks. Senior Kim Pease gave White all the run support she would need when she crushed a 2-run, 2-out, 2-RBI homerun. The ball sailed 230 feet and gave Riv all the momentum they would need. White took those runs and never gave Simmons any hope as she retired the Sharks in order over the final 5 frames. Sophomore Sara Wilson (2 for 3) and freshman Nikki Bondanza (1 for 3) collected the only other Raider hits.
 
Game 2 was a defensive battle that saw the game remain scoreless until the top of the 4th inning. That is when the Gators struck first with a lone run after a single, sacrifice bunt and an RBI single. The Raiders responded with 2 runs of their own in the bottom half of the 4th  Junior Jenna Beadle led off with a single. After sophomore Brenna Campbell was hit by a pitch, sophomore Sara Wilson sent a scorcher that kicked off the shortstop and past the left fielder to score both Beadle and Campbell. Pine Manor battled back to tie the score in the very next inning on back to back singles. The Raiders plated the winning run in the 5th. Sophomore Monica White led off with a hard hit ball that was mishandled by the Gator shortstop. Senior Aimee Fullford laid down the perfect sacrifice bunt and moved White to 2nd base. A basehit by freshman Nikki Bondanza advanced White to 3rd and an RBI ground-out by Beadle scored White. That is when White did what she does best as she struck out 5 of the final 6 Gators she faced. White picked up her 18th win of the season by scattering 6 hits and striking out 11.
 
With these 2 wins, Rivier advances to the Championship Game for the first time in program history. The game will be played tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 noon. The Raiders will face the winner of the Pine Manor/Simmons game that will be played at 10 a.m.

Raiders take down Monks

With win, Riv advances to winner's bracket of GNAC Tournament

April 25, 2008
 
Rivier 4            Saint Joseph's (ME) 2
 
The Raiders (21-11; 18-10) swung the hot bat today as they pounded out 14 hits. Riv wasted little time setting the tone as they plated a run in the top of the 1st inning. With 2 outs, sophomore Brenna Campbell got things going with a double. Junior Jenna Beadle stepped up and delivered a clutch RBI single up the middle. The Monks responded with single runs in both the 2nd and 3rd innings to take the lead. The Raiders left runners at 2nd and 3rd in both the 4th and 5th innings. They were finally able to take the lead for good in the top of the 6th. Sophomore Sara Wilson started the rally with a leadoff double. Freshman Kelsy LaRose pinch-ran for Wilson and was moved over to 3rd on a drop 3rd strike. Junior Ann Marie Day stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and delivered a scorcher through the infield to score LaRose. Sophomore Jillian Robar re-entered the game for Day and promptly stole second base. After a single by freshman Amanda Ryan advanced Robar to 3rd, senior Aimee Fullford sent a 0-1 pitch through the left side of the infield to plate Robar. Riv gave themselves an insurance run in 7th as Beadle led off with a double. Freshman Shannon Mansfield pinch ran for Beadle and scored on a 1-out double by Wilson. Sophomore Monica White got the start and picked up her 17th win of the season. She pitched a solid 7 innings, yielding just 4 hits and striking out 6.
 
The Raiders advance to the winner's bracket and will face the #2 seed Simmons College tomorrow afternoon. First pitch to be thrown at 12:00 at Lasell College.

Raiders reach 20-win plateau with tournament win over Suffolk

April 22, 2008

Rivier 6            Suffolk 1
 
The Raiders (20-11; 17-10) played a very strong 7 innings of softball. Riv excelled in all aspects of the game. The Raiders wasted little time setting the tone as they jumped to a 2-0 lead after just 1 inning of play. Sophomore Monica White led off the inning with a single. Sophomore Brenna Campbell followed with a single of her own. After a passed ball moved both runners up a base, freshman Nikki Bondanza sent a fly ball to centerfield that allowed White to score after a throwing error by the Rams. Junior Jenna Beadle stepped to the plate and sent a sacrifice fly to left field to score Campbell. The Raiders plated another run in the 3rd with back to back to back singles by Campbell, Bondanza and Beadle. Bondanza picked up her second RBI of the afternoon in the 4th inning when she sailed a 2-1 pitch over the left fielders head for a double. The Raiders plated their 5th and 6th runs in the 6th inning. Sophomore Jillian Robar got things started with a single up the middle. White kept the momentum going with a single to the outfield. Campbell stepped to the plate and ripped an RBI single to score Robar. Bondanza finished off the scoring with another RBI single. Monica White went 7 strong innings as she picked up her 16th win of the season. White pitched a 3-hit gem while striking out 9 Ram batters.
 
The Raiders advance to the double-elimination part of the tournament taking place this weekend. Riv will play a single game on Friday as they take on the #3 seed Saint Joseph's College of Maine. Game time is 4pm at Lasell College.

Monica White nominated for Academic All-America

Sophomore only second nominee in Raiders history

April 22, 2008

Monica White, a sophomore at Rivier College, has become just the second student-athlete in school history to receive an Academic All-America nomination. A pre-med/biology major from Augusta, ME, White has earned a 3.47 GPA while racking up honors on the softball diamond.
 
White has been named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Pitcher of the Week 3 times and the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Regional Pitcher of the Week twice. She is currently ranked 2nd in the entire country in ERA (0.64) and walks allowed per 7 innings (0.56). White has allowed just 82 hits in 131.2 innings pitched while striking out 190 batters. Seven of her fifteen victories have come via the shutout. Offensively, White leads the team with a .433 batting average. She has 39 hits on the year and is tied for first with a team-high 16 RBI.
 
 The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selects Academic All-America teams in 12 programs: football, women's volleyball, men's soccer, women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's track & field/cross country, women's track & field/cross country, men's at-large and women's at-large. To be nominated, the student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) for his/her career. To be eligible, an athlete must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his or her current institution.

White named GNAC's Co-Pitcher of the Week

April 23, 2008

Sophomore Monica White (Augusta, ME) has just been named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Co-Pitcher of the Week. This is the third time this season White has been named the best pitcher in the conference. White pitched 44.2 innings this week and gave up just 28 hits. She struck out 70 batters and allowed only 6 earned runs for an impressive 0.95 earned run average. Her two best outings were a 2-hit, 11 strikeout performance against Daniel Webster (5 innings) and a 2-hit, 14 strikeout gem versus Johnson and Wales. White also got it done with the bat as she hit a team-leading .514 (11-32). She had 4 3-hit games on the week.

Raiders SWEEP!!!

April 19, 2008

Rivier 2        Johnson & Wales 0
Rivier 5        Johnson & Wales 1
 
The Raiders were finally able to take both ends of a doubleheader due to a combination of solid pitching, good hitting and outstanding defense. Sophomore Monica White was nearly untouchable on the mound in Game 1 as she K'd 14 Wildcats while allowing just 2 hits. Riv got on the scoreboard in the 4th when back to back to back singles by junior Jenna Beadle and freshmen Amanda Ryan and Julie Abraham plated a run. The Raiders scored an insurance run in the 6th as freshman Nikki Bondanza led off the inning with a double. Beadle followed with a single and Ryan knocked in Bondanza with a hit.
 
In Game 2, Riv allowed JWU an early 1-0 lead but held them scoreless over the final 6 frames to take the win. Freshmen Kelsy LaRose and Nikki Bondanza were outstanding on defense as they made several key plays from the left side of the infield. Riv got their offense flowing in the 4th as freshman Amanda Ryan led off with a single. Sophomore Jillian Robar stepped to the plate and, with 2 outs, hit a ball that landed just inside inside the rightfield line and legged out a triple. Sophomore Monica White scored Robar on a single to the outfield. After a walk was issued to sophomore Brenna Campbell, freshman Nikki Bondanza cranked a 2-out, 2-RBI double to centerfield. Junior Jenna Beadle stepped up and had a big 2-out RBI single in the 6th to help put the game out of reach. Campbell got the start in the circle and settled in nicely after the first inning. She scattered 5 hits in 4.1 innings pitched and collected 4 strikeouts. White inherited a bases-loaded, 1-out situation in the 5th and simply closed the door on the Wildcats as she induced a pop up and fly out to end the threat. White picked up her second save of the year as she held JWU hitless while striking out 3 in 2.2 innings of relief.
 
The Raiders will play in the GNAC Tournament on Wednesday afternoon. Time, site and opponent TBA.

Raiders split...again

April 18, 2008

Rivier 8         Daniel Webster 0 (5 innings)
Rivier 1            Daniel Webster 4
 
Sophomore Monica White set the tone in Game 1 with both her pitching and her bat. White pitched 5 innings of 2-hit ball while striking out 11 Eagle hitters. She was also 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored. The Raiders pounced early as 3 singles by White, sophomore Sara Wilson and freshman Julie Abraham plated 2 runs in the first inning. Junior Jenna Beadle continued to score runs for the Raiders as she came up with a 2-out, 2-RBI single in the 2nd. Riv invoked the mercy rule as they pushed 4 more runs across home plate in the bottom of the 4th. White led things off with a double followed by a single by sophomore Brenna Campbell. After consecutive walks to Beadle and Wilson plated a run, freshman Amanda Ryan picked up an RBI on a groundout to 3rd base. Freshman Shannon Mansfield finished off the scoring barrage with an RBI single of her own.
 
The Raiders continue to struggle with taking both games of a doubleheader and today was no exception. Riv's bats cooled off in Game 2 and the Eagles bats heated up. Daniel Webster struck first in the 2nd inning with a single run. Sophomore Alexa Feener got the start and gave up 3 hits and 2 base on balls in just 1.1 innings pitched. Sophomore Brenna Campbell relieved Feener in the 2nd and got us out of a huge bases-loaded, 1-out jam. Campbell scattered 4 hits and struck out 6. The Raiders battled back to tie the score at 1 after sophomore Jillian Robar got things started with a base hit and a stolen base. After a groundout moved Robar to 3rd base, freshman Amanda Ryan got on base after she was hit by a pitch. A double steal plated Robar for the Raiders only run of the game.
 
Riv finishes off the regular season tomorrow afternoon as they travel to Johnson and Wales University.

Raiders split another doubleheader

April 16, 2008

Rivier 12           Suffolk (4 (6 innings)
Rivier 4          Suffolk 6
 
The offense took a couple of innings to get going in Game 1 but once it did, the Raiders pounded out 14 hits. Riv got things going with a single by sophomore Jillian Robar in the 3rd inning. An error on a failed bunt attempt moved Robar all the way to 3rd base. Two more Suffolk errors sandwiched between 3 singles by sophomores Monica White and Sara Wilson and freshman Nikki Bondanza plated 4 runs. The bottom half of that inning saw the Rams score 4 unearned runs of their own on 3 Raider errors. That's when White decided to take over the defense. She had 6 of her 7 strikeouts in the final 3 frames. White was dominant on the mound as she retired the Rams in order in 4 of the 6 innings. Riv was able to put the game away with a 6-run 5th inning. Freshman Amanda Ryan led things off with a single. An error by the pitcher put White on base. An RBI double by sophomore Brenna Campbell, an RBI single by Bondanza, another RBI single by junior Jenna Beadle and a 2-RBI double by senior Aimee Fullford capped off the scoring. Riv was able to mercy the Rams by plating 2 more runs in the top of the 6th inning. Freshman Julie Abraham got the rally going with a pinch-hit single followed by a double by senior Kim Pease. Beadle stepped to the plate and scored both runs on a single up the middle.
 
The Raiders had plenty of chances to score in Game 2 as they left runners in scoring position in all 7 innings (12 overall). Freshman Amanda Ryan got things going as she got on base after a Ram error in the outfield. Sophomore Brenna Campbell brought her home with a single through the left side. After a walk to senior Kim Pease, Suffolk got an inning-ending double play on a tapper to the third baseman. The Rams responded with 3 runs of their own in the bottom of the 1st. Three singles and a double accounted for the scoring. Riv got to within 1 run as they put two more runs across in the 3rd. Ryan again got things going with a single. Campbell plated her with her second double of the day. After another error by Suffolk scored Campbell, a baserunning blunder cost the Raiders a key opportunity to score more runs. Riv was held scoreless in the final 3 frames although they left 5 runners in scoring position during that time. White got the start and was tagged for 5 hits and 4 runs in just 2 innings pitched. Sophomore Alexa Feener came on in relief and allowed 2 runs in just 1.1 innings pitched. Campbell finished the game and was solid in the circle as she held the Rams scoreless and struck out 3 in 2.2 innings pitched.
 
Riv is back home on Friday afternoon as they celebrate the careers of seniors Aimee Fullford and Kim Pease on Senior Day. The Senior Day Celebration starts at 2:30 p.m.

Bondanza named to the Weekly Honor Roll

April 16, 2008

Freshman Nikki Bondanza (Shrewsbury, MA) has just been named to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Weekly Honor Roll. Bondanza swung the hottest bat for the Raiders this past week. She led the team in runs scored and RBI. Bondanza always seemed to get the big hit whether it was to start a rally or drive in some runs. For the week, Bondanza hit .423 (11-26) with 2 walks, 7 runs scored and 7 RBI. Defensively, Bondanza was on point as she played both second and third base. She made some amazing grabs while playing errorless ball.

Raiders split yet again

April 15, 2008

Rivier 1       Lasell 2
Rivier 3       Lasell 1
 
Game 1 was a pitcher's duel that saw a combined 17 strikeouts and only 7 hits. The Lasers struck first as they plated a run in the 4th on a base hit, stolen base and an RBI single. The Raiders tied things up in the top of the 6th when freshman Amanda Ryan led the inning off with a double. Junior Jenna Beadle followed with a clutch RBI double of her own. Sophomore Brenna Campbell walked to keep the rally going but 3 consecutive outs ended the Raiders best threat of the day. The first out in each inning is always key and Lasell led off the bottom of the 7th inning with a base hit. After the runner was sacrificed over to second base, the Raiders seemed to regain some control as the next batter struck out looking. Unfortunately, the game ended on a base hit up the middle. Sophomore Monica White was the hard-luck loser as she returned to form on the mound. She scattered 4 hits while striking out 10 Lasell hitters.
 
The offense was flowing for the Raiders in Game 2 as they placed runners on base in every inning. Riv plated the first run of the game in the 2nd when freshman Nikki Bondanza led things off with a base on balls. Consecutive hits by Monica White and senior Kim Pease loaded the bases. Sophomore Jillian Robar came to the plate and sent a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Bondanza. After some sloppy baserunning, the threat was ended on a strikeout. The Lasers responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the 3rd. Riv took the lead for good in the 5th when Robar led off with a double to left field. Senior Aimee Fullford moved Robar over to 3rd base with good situational hitting. Sophomore Brenna Campbell scored the run on a groundout to the shortstop. The Raiders were able to put the game out of reach with a huge insurance run in the 7th inning. Fullford led off with a double and was moved to 3rd base by Campbell. Freshman Amanda Ryan stepped to the plate and, with a 2-strike count, roped a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Fullford. Monica White left nothing in doubt as she fanned the final 3 outs of the game. Sophomore Alexa Feener started in the circle for Riv and did her job. Feener scattered 4 hits and struck out 3 in 3 innings pitched. Campbell came on and pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. White then came in and simply shut the door on the Lasers as she pitched 2.1 innings, allowed 0 hits and struck out 4.
 
The Raiders are back in action tomorrow afternoon as they travel to Suffolk University for another key conference match-up. Game time is set for 3pm.

Riv splits another

April 13, 2008

Rivier 5         Mount Ida 4
Rivier 3         Mount Ida 5
 
Game 1 featured sloppy defense by both squads as they combined for 7 errors. All 4 of the Mustang runs were unearned as the Raiders struggled in the field. Sophomore Brenna Campbell got the start and did her job as she scattered 3 hits in 4.1 innings pitched. Sophomore Monica White came on in relief and held Mount Ida hitless for 2.2 innings. The Raider offense was led by the freshmen class as Amanda Ryan (2 for 2; RBI), Julie Abraham (2 for 3; RBI), Shannon Mansfield (2 for 3; run scored), Nikki Bondanza (2 for 4; 2 runs scored) and Kelsy LaRose (1 for 1) all swung the bat with confidence and a sense of purpose. Senior Aimee Fullford picked up 2 big RBI's for the Raiders.
 
Game 2 saw the Raiders strike for an early 2nd inning run. Riv kept the pressure on offensively. In both the 4th and 5th innings, the Raiders loaded the bases with 1 out. Both times, the Riv batters hit lined shots to the Mustang 3rd baseman who caught the ball and then doubled off the runner at 3rd to end the threats. Sophomore Monica White got the start and was tagged for 5 earned runs on 8 hits in just 5.1 innings pitched. Sophomore Alexa Feener came on in relief in the 6th. Senior Aimee Fullford finished 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored while sophomore Brenna Campbell went 2 for 3 with a walk and RBI from the leadoff spot.
 
The Raiders are back in action on Tuesday afternoon as they travel to Lasell College. Game time is 4pm.

Raiders split versus Norwich

April 12, 2008

Rivier 1            Norwich 2
Rivier 11        Norwich 2
 
As has been the trend lately, the Raiders failed to swing the bats early and it cost them late. Riv left 10 runners on base in the first 4 innings. Several baserunning blunders cost the Raiders opportunities to increase their lead. Riv held the Cadets scoreless until the bottom of the 6th inning. Norwich was able to start the inning with a base hit. The batter was moved over to 2nd base on a sacrifice bunt. Another base hit and a throwing error in the outfield allowed the game-tying and game-winning runs to cross home plate. Sophomore Monica White picked up the loss as she gave up 2 runs, 3 hits, a walk and 2 hit batters in the final 3 innings. Sophomores Jillian Robar and Brenna Campbell along with freshman Amanda Ryan each went 2 for 3 in Game 1.
 
Game 2 started out a little bit better as the Raiders struck for 2 runs (on a bases loaded walk and hit batter) in the 1st inning. Riv still left alot of runs on the bases through the first 5 innings (9) but managed to get some key insurance runs in the top of the 6th inning. That inning was started with freshman Nikki Bondanza's lead-off single. The Raiders followed with basehits from freshman Amanda Ryan, sophomore Jillian Robar and RBI producing doubles from junior Jenna Beadle and freshman pinch-hitter Julie Abraham. An RBI single from senior Aimee Fullford kept the rally going. Sophomore Monica White picked up an RBI with a single through the left side of the infield. Bondanza had her second hit of the inning as she brought home 2 more runs. The 7th inning saw Beadle lead-off with a double. After an error by the Cadet shortstop, sophomore Brenna Campbell roped a 2-out double to plate 2 more runs. Campbell got the start in the circle and went 3.2 innings with 2 strikeouts before giving up 2 earned runs. Sophomore Alexa Feener came on in relief and, after hitting the first batter she saw, ended the Norwich rally. Feener went 0.2 innings, giving up a 1-out double in the 5th. White picked up the win as she closed the door on the Cadets, finishing the final 2.2 innings while striking out 4.
 
The Raiders finish the weekend with 2 more home games tomorrow afternoon as they take on the Mustangs of Mount Ida College. First pitch to be thrown at 1 p.m.

Raiders (10-4; 7-3) get back to their winning ways

April 8, 2008

Rivier 8           Albertus Magnus 0 (5 innings)
Rivier 16        Albertus Magnus 0 (5 innings)
 
Game 1 featured sophomore Monica White hurling her first career no-hitter. White (8-1 on the season) just missed out on a perfect game as she walked the leadoff batter in the 5th. White finished with 12 strikeouts in just 5 innings of work. The Raiders were only able to come up with 6 hits but worked the counts well as they induced 6 base on balls. Freshman Nikki Bondanza and junior Ann Marie Day each led the charge as they produced 2 RBI. White helped her own cause as she finished 1 for 2 with an RBI. Freshman Amanda Ryan got on base in each of her 3 at-bats as she drew 3 walks from the Albertus pitcher.
 
Game 2 featured another stellar pitching performance. Sophomore Alexa Feener threw a 1-hitter while striking out a season-high 11 in 5 innings pitched. The Raider offense exploded for a season-high 16 runs on 13 hits. A trio of rookies led the way for Riv as freshmen Kelsy LaRose (3 for 3; 4 RBI), Julie Abraham (2 for 2; 3 RBI) and Nikki Bondanza (3 for 4; 2 RBI) each had outstanding offensive performances. Sophomore Brenna Campbell also swung a hot bat for the Raiders as she chipped in with 2 hits, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. Junior Ann Marie Day added 3 more RBI in the nightcap.
 
Next up for Riv are the Gators of Pine Manor College on Thursday under the lights. PMC is currently in 1st place in the GNAC standings with a record of 12-2. The Raiders are in a 3-way tie for 2nd place with a conference record of 7-3. First pitch to be thrown at 6pm.

White named GNAC Pitcher of the Week

April 8, 2008

Sophomore Monica White (Augusta, ME) has just been named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Pitcher of the Week. This is the second time this season White has received this recognition. In a 4-2 week for the Raiders, White picked up 3 wins. She pitched 25 scoreless innings and allowed just 1 unearned run on the week. White yielded just 16 hits, struck out 35 batters and walked 1 in 26 innings pitched. White did her job at the plate as well. For the week, she hit .467 (7 for 15) with 2 doubles and 2 stolen bases.

Raiders stumble; lose 2 to Blue Jays

April 6, 2008

Rivier 0          SJC - CT 1
Rivier 0          SJC - CT 3
 
Saint Joseph's College arrived in Nashua ready to play. Their energy and intensity caught the young Raider squad off-guard as the Blue Jays played a solid 7 innings. Offensively, Riv had several chances to score runs as they left 8 runners on base through the first 4 innings. Their defense was on point as they held SJC without a run until the top of the 7th inning. That's when the Blue Jays put together back to back singles. Then, with 2 outs, they scored what proved to be the game-winning run on a miscue in the outfield. Riv's best chance to score came in the 4th inning when the Raiders loaded the bases with 2 hit batters sandwiched between a base hit by junior Jenna Beadle. The threat was ended as the next Riv hitter tapped a routine ground ball to 3rd base. Beadle, senior Kim Pease, sophomores Jillian Robar and Brenna Campbell along with freshman Amanda Ryan were the only Raiders in the hit column. Sophomore Monica White got the start and held her own through the first 4 innings. The Blue Jays were able to string together 4 of their game-high 5 hits in the last 3 innings to put pressure on the Raider defense. White was the tough-luck loser as she K'd 9 SJC batters.
 
Game 2 was much of the same as the Raiders continued to struggle to find the big bat. Again, Riv had plenty of chances to score as they left runners in scoring position in 5 of the 7 innings but failed to get the big hit when they needed it. Sophomore Monica White finished with a team-high 2 hits. Sophomore Brenna Campbell got the start and was tagged for 3 earned runs on 7 hits. Sophomore Alexa Feener came on in relief and scattered 3 hits while striking out 2 in 5 innings pitched.
 
The Raiders return to conference play on Tuesday night under the lights as they take on Albertus Magnus College. Game time - 7pm.

Raiders survive Shark attack - Women's Softball

April 5, 2008

Rivier 1       Simmons 0  (8 innings)
Rivier 5       Simmons 0
 
Game 1 was a defensive battle that had a combined 7 hits by both teams. The Raiders best threat came in the 3rd inning when they had runners at 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Riv ran into 2 outs at homeplate and then had a groundout to end the threat. The game extended into extra innings with both teams starting with a runner at 2nd base. Simmons was able to execute a successful bunt and move the runner to 3rd base with 1 out. That is when sophomore Monica White did what she does best and struck out the next 2 hitters to end the inning. In the bottom of the 8th, senior Aimee Fullford laid down the perfect bunt and sacrificed freshman Amanda Ryan over to 3rd base. After the Simmons pitcher got the next Riv batter to strike out, she sailed a 0-0 offering to the backstop which allowed Ryan to score the game-winning run. Senior Kim Pease and sophomores Brenna Campbell and Monica White had the only hits for Riv. White was again dominant on the mound as she pitched a 3-hitter with 10 strikeouts to improve her record to 6-0.
 
The Raider bats came alive a bit in Game 2 but it was their stifling defense that won the game. Riv struck for single runs in both the 3rd and 4th innings and put the game out of reach with 3 more in the 6th. Senior Kim Pease got the Raiders on the scoreboard with an RBI double in the 3rd inning. Freshman Nikki Bondanza followed that up with an RBI single in the 4th. Pease, Bondanza and sophomore Jillian Robar each finished the game 2 for 3. Freshman Amanda Ryan had a big 2-RBI double while junior Jenna Beadle chipped in with an RBI single to put the finishing touches on a 3-run 6th inning. Sophomore Brenna Campbell got the start and got out of a bases loaded jam in the 2nd inning. She held the very strong Simmons offense scoreless through 3 innings. Campbell allowed 2 hits and struck out 2. Monica White came on in relief in the 4th and simply shut the door on the Sharks. She scattered 4 hits and struck out 4 to pick up win #7. Through the first 10 games of the season, the Raider defense has given up just 10 runs while our offense has produced 52 runs.
 
The Raiders return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon for a key conference match-up with the Blue Jays of Saint Joseph College - CT. First pitch is slated for 1pm.

Raiders sweep 2 from Saints

April 3, 2008

Rivier    6        Emmanuel    0
Rivier    14      Emmanuel    0 (5 innings)
 
It took a while for the Raider (6-2; 4-1) bats to get warmed up in the cool New England temperature but once they did, Riv had no trouble putting hits together. The Raiders exploded for 13 hits in both games including 6 doubles, a triple and a homerun. Senior Aimee Fullford did an excellent job in the leadoff spot in Game 1 as she had a game-high 3 hits. Sophomores Monica White (2 for 3 with a double and 2 RBI) and Jillian Robar (2 for 4; RBI) also helped propel the Raider offense. Freshman Amanda Ryan had a huge 2 RBI double in the 6th to help put the game out of reach. Monica White got the start and improved her record to 5-0 as she picked up her 3rd shutout. She yielded 4 hits while striking out 12 Emmanuel hitters.
 
Senior Aimee Fullford again led the charge in Game 2 as she got on base in each of her 4 at bats. Senior Kim Pease's 2 hits in the game were a double and a triple. Pease also had a game-high 4 RBI. Sophomore Jillian Robar continues to swing a hot bat as she had 2 hits and 2 RBI.  Sophomore Sara Wilson was 2 for 3 and did a great job on the bases for the Raiders.The biggest hit of the night came off the bat of sophomore Brenna Campbell as she blasted a line drive straight over the centerfield fence for her second homerun of the season. Campbell got the start in the circle for Riv and wasted no time setting the tone as she fanned 4 of the first 6 batters she faced. She finished with a
2-hitter while striking out a career-high 8.
 
The Raiders return to conference action on Saturday as they take on the Sharks of Simmons College who are currently undefeated in conference play. Game time is slated for 2pm.

Campbell, Ryan named to GNAC Weekly Honor Roll

March 31, 2008

Sophomore Brenna Campbell (Nashua, NH) and freshman Amanda Ryan (W. Bridgewater, MA) were named to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Weekly Honor Roll for their recent play in Fort Myers, FL. Campbell finished the trip down south with a team-best .556 hitting percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage. Her best performance came against Rutgers-Newark as she went 2-2 with a double, homerun and 4 RBI. Defensively, Campbell was solid as well. She had no errors in 8 chances while playing the hot corner. Brenna also contributed in the circle. She finished the week pitching 6.2 innings with a 0.00 ERA. Amanda Ryan got off to a slow start to begin her collegiate career but, by day 2, seemed to find her groove. On the week, Ryan hit a respectable .375 to go with a very solid .625 slugging percentage. Ryan did an outstanding calling the signals behind the dish. In the only attempted stolen base against her, Ryan gunned her out with ease.

Raiders split GNAC opener

March 30, 2008

Rivier 4 Emerson 0
Rivier 2 Emerson 6

The Raiders (4-2; 1-1) were on point both offensively and defensively in Game 1. Riv roared out of the gates early as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st inning. That was all the run support sophomore Monica White would need as she picked up her 4th win (2nd shutout) of the season. White pitched a 3-hitter and K'd 8 Emerson hitters. The top of the lineup did their job in the top of the 1st inning as senior Aimee Fullford and sophomore Jillian Robar led off with back to back singles. They then scored on a hit by White and some aggressive baserunning by both Fullford and Robar. The Raider offense received solid performances from White (3 for 3 with 3 RBI), Fullford (1 for 2 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored), sophomore Brenna Campbell (2 for 3 with a run batted in) and junior Jenna Beadle (2 for 3).

Game 2 was a different story as the Raider bats cooled off a bit. It also did not help that Emerson was able to put multiple hits together in the 2nd inning. Emerson plated 5 runs in that inning even though all of their hits were soft infield tappers that just happened to find holes. The Raiders played errorless ball in Game 2 but were only able to come up with 5 hits. Senior Kim Pease led the charge offensively as she had a double and a triple. Sophomore Brenna Campbell launched a 1-1 offering to deep left-centerfield in the 7th to score pinch-runner Shannon Mansfield for Riv's lone RBI. On the mound, Campbell had a season-high 4 strikeouts in 6 innings pitched.

The Raiders look to improve their record this week as they continue with conference play.

White named ECAC Pitcher of the Week

March 31, 2008

Just one week into the softball season and sophomore Monica White (Augusta, ME) has earned another honor. On the heels of being named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Pitcher of the Week, White has just been named the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Pitcher of the Week. She was named the ECAC Co-Pitcher of the Week just 1 time all of last season. White has started her sophomore campaign 3-0 with a 0.77 ERA. In her first start of the season, White had a 1-hit; 8 strikeout performance that was shortened to 5 innings due to the mercy rule. Game 2 saw her even more dominant as she hurled a 2-hit; 12 strikeout gem versus Middlebury College to pick up her first shutout of the young season. For the week, White had 31 strikeouts and just 1 walk in 18.1 innings pitched. She has allowed only 10 hits on the year. White got it done at the plate as well. She has a team-leading 6 hits for a .462 average. White has 2 doubles, 3 RBI and a .615 slugging percentage.

March 30, 2008
She's all business: Rivier phenom pitcher is pushing herself to be among the nation's best
Read this article in the Telegraph »

White Named GNAC Pitcher of the Week

March 25, 2008

Sophomore Monica White (Augusta, ME) has just been named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Pitcher of the Week. White started off her sophomore campaign in fine fashion. In her first start of the season, Monica pitched a 1-hitter while striking out 8 batters in a 5 inning romp that was shortened due to the mercy rule. Day 2 saw White even more dominant as she pitched a 2-hit, 12 strikeout gem versus a very strong squad from Middlebury College. For the week, White finished 3-0 with a 0.77 ERA. She struck out 31 batters with just 1 walk in 18.1 innings pitched while holding opposing hitters to a miniscule .154 hitting percentage. White got it done with her bat as well. She was 6-13 (.462) with 2 doubles and 3 RBI.

Raiders finish 3-1 down South

March 21-22, 2008

Rivier 9 Rutgers-Newark 1 (5 innings)

In their first game of the season, the Raiders took little time showing why they are the reigning GNAC regular-season champions. Riv pushed single runs across the plate in each if the first 2 innings. They then exploded for an additional 4 runs in the 4th and 3 more in the 5th to invoke the mercy rule. Sophomore Monica White picked up her first win of the season as she pitched a 1-hitter to go with 8 strikeouts. Offensively, Riv had 5 players with 2 hits apiece. Sophomore Brenna Campbell led the charge as she went 2-2 with a homerun, a double and 4 RBI's. Senior Kim Pease was also 2-2 and scored 3 runs. Junior Jenna Beadle and sophomores Monica White and Sara Wilson also finished the day going 2-3.

Rivier 0 SUNY Fredonia 2

Riv struggled out of the gate in game 2 as they allowed an unearned run in the bottom of the 1st inning. The Raiders held the opposition scoreless over the next 4 innings but failed to plate a run of their own. Riv had several chances as they stranded 8 baserunners. Sophomore Brenna Campbell got the start and was the tough-luck loser. She allowed just 4 hits and did not yield an earned run. Offensively, the Raiders were led by sophomore Sara Wilson's 2 hit performance.

Rivier 6 Middlebury 0

The Raiders came back on day 2 focused and determined to take 2 wins. This game was a gem that saw both teams make defensive stand after defensive stand. The game remained scoreless until Riv plated 2 runs in the 5th and erupted for 4 more in the 6th. Sophomore Monica White picked up her second win in as many days. White was dominant on the mound. She gave up just 2 hits and struck out 12 Middlebury batters for her first shutout of the young season. White got the job done with the bat as well. She finished 2-4 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI's. Senior Aimee Fullford had an outstanding day at the plate as she finished with a team-high 3 hits and 2 runs scored. Sophomores Jillian Robar and Brenna Campbell as well as freshman Nikki Bondanza each contributed 2 hits.

Rivier 5 UMass-Dartmouth

Riv got off to a shaky start in game 2 for the second day in a row. They had 2 errors in the first 2 innings. The Raiders allowed an unearned run in the 2nd after yielding 2 walks and committing an error. This would be the only run Riv would allow as their defense found it's focus. The bats were strong again for the Raiders as the pounded out 12 hits. Sophomore Brenna Campbell got the start for Riv but was relieved by sophomore Monica White in the 2nd. White gave up 4 hits but struck out 9 UMass-Dartmouth hitters to pick up win #3. Sophomore Jillian Robar and freshman Amanda Ryan each had 2 hits for the potent Raider offense. Senior Aimee Fullford was clutch with the bat as she picked up 2 big RBI's for Riv. Freshman Julie Abraham pinched hit in the top of the 6th and delivered a blast to deep left-centerfield. That run was eventually plated by Aimee Fullford and helped keep the game out of reach.