Siena Softball junior Yamila Evans got hot at the right time in game one of Saturday's doubleheader between the Saints (2-4) and MAAC foe Rider (7-3), recording her first collegiate home run to lead her team to win in game one and an eventual split on the day. Siena would fall, 5-0, to the Broncs in the nightcap of the first doubleheader in the four-game weekend series at Siena Softball Field.
 
Game 1: Siena 7, Rider 3
 
With graduate student Maddie McMahon stepping inside the circle to pitch for the first time this season, the Saints stepped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of their second straight home weekend, with sophomore Angelina Stile plating junior Sabrina Vargas on an RBI single to left, and classmate Emma McLaughlin scoring Stile and senior Isabelle DeChiaro on a 2 RBI single to left in the next at-bat.
 
Following three scoreless innings defensively for McMahon and the Saints, Rider broke through on the scoreboard in the visiting half of the fourth inning to knot the game at three, with an RBI single and a pair of defensive errors paving the way.
 
With two outs and freshman Isabella Pardo threatening on third, Evans stepped up and homered to left center, giving Siena a 5-3 lead that they would never relinquish. The Green and Gold would add a pair more in the bottom of the sixth, with senior Taylor Rhinehart scoring pinch-runner, sophomore Sophia Caputo, on a sacrifice fly, and Pardo singling through the middle to score McLaughlin. The win gave Siena 15 straight victories against Rider dating back to 2013.
 
McMahon (1-0) picked up the complete game win in the circle for the Saints, allowing juts a single earned run on five hits, while striking out a pair and walking four. Rider's Debra Jones (3-2) took the loss, surrendering six earned runs on as many hits, despite striking out nine batters. Pardo went 2-2 with an RBI and a run scored offensively for Siena.
 
Game 2: Rider 5, Siena 0
 
Shortly after putting together its first back-to-back wins of the year dating back to last weekend, Siena coughed up an early lead to the visitors, with Rider's Chaela Crowder taking a two-run home run to left field off Rhinehart, who got the start in the circle for the Saints in game two. The senior from Woodinville, Washington would last just two innings before being pulled in favor of sophomore Allison Speshyock, who pitched the remaining five for the Green and Gold.
 
Rider's offense picked back up in the top of the fifth, with an RBI ground out and a double to left center extending the Broncs' lead to 4-0 after five. Siena, who stranded eight baserunners in the contest, could only get one on the paths in the final three frames, with one more RBI double extending the Rider lead to five.
 
Rhinehart (0-3) took the loss by allowing two runs off two hits and striking out one, while Seshyock fanned three let up three earned runs off five hits. Rider's Anna-Marie Groskritz (2-0) earned the complete game shutout victory, allowing four hits, striking out two, and walking four.

Siena and Rider will do battle for control of the series on Sunday, April 4, with Easter morning doubleheader action set for 11 AM and 1 PM in Loudonville.