LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – The University of Hartford softball team split a pair of games at Rider on Tuesday afternoon, taking a 10-0 victory in game one before dropping a 12-4 decision in the nightcap. Hartford (8-15), which returns to action with two games at Rutgers on Wednesday, was led at by a five-RBI afternoon by senior Melani Maxwell.

In Tuesday's opening game, Kaitlyn Meade, a junior pitcher, allowed just five Rider batters on the base paths and the Hawks' bats were timely at key moments in the game as Hartford coasted to the 10-run, five-inning victory over the Broncs (4-24). Senior Jordan Haines went 2-for-3 at the plate, scored twice and collected two RBI to help Meade earn her second shutout of the season via a three-hitter.

The Hawks got off to a hot start on Tuesday, bombarding the scoreboard with four runs in the top of the first to take the early, commanding advantage. With one out recorded in the frame, Jenice Aloyo started off the rally with a single and moved to second in the next at-bat that saw Kate Wacyk reach base on a fielding error by Rider's second baseman.

Notching her third double of the season, senior Jordan Haines collected her seventh RBI as the speedy Aloyo wheeled home from second on the hit to make it a 1-0 ball game. Wacyk, who moved to third base on the play, then doubled her team's advantage using a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Jackie Kelly to extend the early lead to 2-0.

Despite having two outs on the board, the Hawks felt little pressure as they saw their lead grow to 4-0 before the final batter was retired. Batting out of the sixth spot of the line-up, freshman Sawyer Fried singled to right field to put runners on the corners and senior in the next at-bat, Melani Maxwell doubled her team's runs to four by looping a bases-clearing double to centerfield. The two-bagger is her fourth of the year, a team-best.

Hartford cushioned its already impressive advantage with three runs in the top of the third and followed that effort with three more in the next inning to push ahead of Rider, 10-0.

A fielder's choice off the bat of Haines retired Wacyk, who previously reached base on a fielding error to start the stanza in the third. With one out, Hartford proved that patience at the plate is a virtue as the next three batters each earned four balls, with Maxwell, who earned the third walk in that sequence, earning the RBI with Haines coming across the plate.  

Margaret Betz kept the scoring going, reaching on a fielder's choice but scratching two more runs past home plate, one on the play and the next on an infield error, making it a 7-0 ball game in favor of the visiting squad.

In the top of the fourth, Haines picked up her second RBI of the game while Wacyk and sophomore Ana Alberti each knocked in runs to put Hartford out in front by 10 runs. With no outs recorded, Aloyo, who reached base on an error, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball, scored her second run of the afternoon after using an outfield single from Wacyk to open the lead to 8-0. That advantage quickly jumped to 9-0 as Haines lined a double into the gap of left center field to score Wacyk.

From there, two of the next three Hawks would earn walk, loading up the bases for pinch-hitter Ana Alberti with one out. Despite hitting into an infield groundout, Alberti was credited with an RBI as pinch-runner Genevieve Morneau-Vaillancourt was able to move 60 feet down the base paths to home plate.

Meade struck out one Rider batter. Ali Meagher suffered the loss inside of the circle. Just two of the 10 runs conceded by the Broncs' pitcher were earned as the defense combined to commit four errors.

In the nightcap, Kelly hit an RBI double in the top half of the first to put the Hawks on the scoreboard, but Rider responded with five runs in the bottom part of the frame to jump out to four-run lead. All of the Broncs' damage was done with two outs as Dana Sensi hit a solo home run to tie up the game at 1-1 and Emily Cottrell knocked a grand slam out of the park to make it 5-1.

Two more runs would be plated by Rider to extend its advantage to 7-1. The tallies were again plated with two outs in the inning. With runners on the corners, Amanda Irving brought in the first run of the inning on an RBI single and in the next at-bat, Gina McCool followed suit with another outfield single to provide her team with a six-run lead. Hartford ace Zuzana Kudernatschova took over inside of the circle, replacing sophomore Brittany Beebe, and after issuing a walk, the Hawks' defense retired the next Rider batter to end the inning.

Rider added one more run to its count in the bottom of the fourth before Hartford plated a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to close the gap to five. Erica Phelps and Andrews led off the frame with a walk and a single and after the next two batters were retired by Rider pitcher Krista Morrone, Maxwell drove in both runners on a base hit to right center field to make it an 8-3 affair.

In the top of the sixth, the Hawks cut their deficit in half after Aloyo hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded, scoring Betz who reached base on a fielder's choice. Hartford would not come any closer, though, as Rider scored four runs on four hits and an error to push ahead, 12-4, and earn the win in the sixth inning.

Beebe allowed seven earned runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings while Kudernatschova worked 4.0 innings, walking four and striking out four while conceding five runs – three earned – on eight hits. For Rider, Morrone allowed four runs on six hits and finished with two strikeouts.