NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University softball team (12-18, 4-2) split its home-opening doubleheader with Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference foe Iona College (15-13-1, 1-1) Saturday at Niagara Field. The Gaels won the opener, 8-3, while the Purple Eagles took the nightcap, 7-3.
Niagara plays Fairfield (16-26, 2-1) Sunday in a doubleheader at noon at Niagara Field.
Game 1 - Iona 8, Niagara 3
Iona scored four runs on three hits in the fourth inning to fuel an 8-3 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory.
Alison Higgs was 3 for 3 with a home run and also got the win on the mound going seven innings and giving up seven hits and three earned runs while striking out five.
In the fourth, Alexis Garbowski, who was 2 for 4 with three runs batted in, hit a two-run home run to give the Gaels a 4-2 lead. Kate Giella (2 for 4, 2 RBI) then had a two-run single for the 6-2 lead.
Niagara got its third run in the bottom of the fourth when junior Amanda Baluch (Delanson, N.Y.) singled in senior Cheryl Julicher (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville).
Iona tallied two runs in the seventh on three singles, and then Higgs got the final out with runners in scoring position.
Niagara took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the second inning when Baluch hit her second home run of the season and drove in Julicher.
Iona regained the lead in the third inning when Higgs hit her team-leading fifth home run.
Baluch was 2 for 3 with three RBI. Senior Tegan Bennett (Stouffville, Ont.) suffered her sixth loss, throwing four innings and giving up eight hits, six runs and four earned runs. Senior Ashleigh Barber (Kelowna, B.C.) threw three innings and allowed three hits, two runs and one earned run.
Game 2 - Niagara 7, Iona 3
Niagara struck hard and fast in game two as the Purple Eagles scored six runs on five hits in the first inning to take a 6-0 lead en route to a 7-3 victory.
Freshman Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y.) led off the inning with a walk, senior Colleen Larsen (Beiseker, Alb.) followed with a walk, freshman Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) singled to load the bases. Julicher drove in a run with a single and then senior Kristina Kilian (Grand Island, N.Y.) stroked a two-run double to left field. Sophomore Shannon Mongalise (Bethel Park, Pa.) followed with a two-out, three-run home run to cap the Purple Eagles’ scoring.
Iona tallied a run in the second when Alyson Funn hit a two-out double to center to score Stacy Moyer.
Niagara scored its final run in the third inning when Baluch doubled to left field and then scored on an error.
The final scoring of the game came in the fifth inning when Funn singled, went to second on a walk, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error. Higgs also scored on the error after getting on with a single.
Kilian was 2 for 3 with two RBI, senior Bradi Cochrane (Hariston, Ont.) was 2 for 3 and Julicher was 2 for 2 with a RBI. Senior Andrea Crapo picked up her fourth win of the season, throwing four and one-third innings and giving up four hits and three runs. Classmate Barber threw two and two-thirds innings without giving up a hit or run.
