Continuing its short break from conference play, the Columbia softball team (13-29, 3-23 Ivy) will face Rider University (10-28, 3-5 MAAC) on Thursday before taking on its final Ivy foe, Penn, this weekend.

The Lions are coming off a momentous rally against Iona on Tuesday. After dropping the first game 1-0, they battled back to defeat the Gaels 10-2 and split the doubleheader. The Broncs, on the other hand, were not as successful.

Also taking a short break from its conference campaign, Rider dropped two games earlier this week to Monmouth University. The Broncs’ defense fell short against the powerful Hawk offense, tallying eight errors on the day.

In game one, Rider fell 4-0 despite a stellar pitching performance by freshman Kelsey Krisch who allowed only two earned runs. The Broncs posted three errors in the opener and only four hits­, two of which were off the bat of junior Megan Kozlowski.

The following game saw an improvement in Bronc hitting, scoring six runs, but no improvement on the defensive side.
Down five in the fourth, Katy Mills gave Rider hope with a two-run single. But Monmouth soon took off and widened the gap to 10-2. However the Broncs attempted a rally with four runs in the sixth inning. Starting the effort for Rider, Clarissa Ortiz hit an RBI single and was followed by another two-run single by Candice Harris.

Harris, who has 98 career hits for Rider, and Mills led the Bronc offense in game two with three hits and three RBI, respectively.
The last time Rider and Columbia met, the Broncs swept the Lions 3-1, 9-0. The Broncs had three homeruns in the effort—two were by Harris.
The Lions and Broncs will face off in Lawrenceville, N.J. on Thursday at 3 p.m.