Senior Lauren Dombrowski

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Senior Cheryl Julicher (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville North) hit her second collegiate walk-off home run to lead the Niagara University softball team (2-8) to its second victory of the season.

In the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., the Purple Eagles beat Lehigh, 6-5, but dropped a 12-1 game to Youngstown State.

In the Lehigh game, Niagara trailed 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh. Senior Lauren Dombrowski (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) began the inning with a single. Classmate Colleen Larson (Beiseker, Alberta) walked and Dombrowski moved to second. Julicher, in her first season with Niagara, then smashed a pitch to deep center for the Purple Eagle win.

Julicher was 3 for 4 with four runs batted in and two runs, and junior Amanda Baluch (Delanson, N.Y.) was 2 for 3 with a RBI. Senior Tegan Bennett (Stouffville, Ont.) got the win on the mound by going three innings, allowing four hits and giving up one run.

In their second game of the day, the Purple Eagles had eight errors and only two of Youngstown State’s runs were earned. Dombrowski scored Niagara’s lone run and had one of three hits for the Purple Eagles.

Niagara returns to action next weekend when it plays in the George Mason Patriot Classic in Fairfax, Va. The Purple Eagles play Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference foe Marist, host George Mason, St. Francis (N.Y.) and UMBC.