Senior Lisa Hess

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University softball team split its first two games of the Radford Highlander Softball Classic in Radford, Va., with an 11-4 win over Maryland Eastern Shore and a 10-0 loss to Brown.

The Purple Eagles return to action Saturday when they play Albany State at 10 a.m. and host Radford at noon.

Game 1 - Niagara 11, Maryland Eastern Shore 4

Niagara pounded out 16 hits and the duo of senior Andrea Crapo (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) and junior Jillian Koch (Tonawanda, N.Y./Tonwanda) combined to throw a six hitter enroute to the Purple Eagles sixth win of the season.

Senior Lisa Hess (Youngstown, N.Y./Lewiston-Porter) went 3 for 3 with two runs batted in. Freshman Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca) was 2 for 3 with four runs scored. Junior Jamie Horn (Youngstown, N.Y./Lewiston-Porter), senior Colleen Larsen (Beiseker, Alberta) and junior Amanda Baluch (Delanson, N.Y.) were each 2 for 3 and Larsen and Baluch collected two RBIs each.

Crapo allowed four hits and Koch came in in relief, allowing two hits.

Game 2 - Brown 10, Niagara 0

Niagara was shutout in its second game of the day, losing to Brown, 10-0.

Horn and Baker were the only two Purple Eagles to record hits in the game and senior Ashleigh Barber (Kelowna, B.C.) took the loss on the mound, allowing seven runs on five hits and Crapo allowed three runs on two hits.