Orlando, FL (March 10, 2003)-The Niagara softball team finished its second day at the Rebel Games with two losses. Niagara's record moves to 0-3 on the season. In the first of two games Tuesday afternoon the Purple Eagles lost to Quinnipiac 4-0, and in the nightcap lost 13-5 to Providence.
In the first game Quinnipiac took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a double that eventually scored. The game would remain uneventful until the top of the fifth inning when Tegan Bennett (Stoufville, Ont) gave up three straight base hits to load the bases with no outs. The Purple Eagles managed to get out of the inning with one run scored against them to make it a 2-0 lead for the Bobcats. The Purple Eagles got out of the inning with a nice play by Colleen Larsen (Beiseker, AB) to make the force at home, followed by a strike out. Bennett walked the next batter for the run, and then bounced back forcing the next batter to fly out to right field.
In the bottom of the sixth the Purple Eagles would get two men on base, however were unable to convert their base runners into runs, leaving two stranded on base.
The top of the seventh would see the bases loaded for Quinnipiac for the second time in the game. Jill Koch (Tonawanda, NY) would come in, in relief for Bennett and come out of the inning with the final two runs of the day being scored against the Purple Eagles to make the final 4-0. Bennett got the start for the Purple Eagles pitching five and a third innings striking out five batters.
In the nightcap Niagara got off to a hot start scoring five runs in the first inning to put them up 5-0. Providence's Willette loaded the bases on three straight walks. Freshman Shannon Mongalise (Bethel Park, PA)) came up to the plate with two outs and got an infield single to score the first run. Killian followed with a walk scoring Angie Clarke (Grafton, Ont.). Kelly Honsberger (Pickering, Ont.) followed with a double that would drive in two more runs to make it 4-0. Larsen scored the fifth run for the Purple Eagles on yet another walk.
Providence came storming back with two runs in the bottom of the first on a double to left center by Ramaro that would score their first two runs of the afternoon. After just 1/3 of an inning Ashleigh Barber (Kelowna, BC) would come into the game in relief for Kristina Killian (Grand Island, NY). Providence would get their third run of the inning on a passed ball to make the score 5-4 in the third inning.
The fifth and sixth innings would prove to be the difference as Providence would get five in the fifth and four in the sixth to mercy the Purple Eagles 13-5 and end the game at the end of the sixth inning.
The Purple Eagles will have the day off Tuesday and return to action Wednesday at 2:20 p.m. when they face Rhode Island at the Rebel Games in Orlando, Florida.
