Senior Andrea Crapo threw a two-hitter in Sunday's nightcap to sweep the Fairfield series.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Led by Andrea Crapo’s two-hitter, the Niagara University softball team (14-18, 6-2) swept Sunday’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader against Fairfield University (16-28, 2-3) at Niagara Field. Niagara won the opener, 3-2, and took the nightcap, 3-1.

Crapo, a senior from Lockport, gave up a pair of singles in the first inning before holding the Stags hitless and scoreless for the remainder of the nightcap.

The Purple Eagles return to action Wednesday when they play Little Three rival St. Bonaventure (8-18) at 3 p.m. on Niagara Field.

Game 1 - Niagara 3, Fairfield 2

Junior Amanda Baluch’s (Delanson, N.Y.) two-out single in the bottom of the fifth inning proved to be the winning hit for Niagara. Senior Cheryl Julicher (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville) reached with a walk, went to second on a single by classmate Kristina Kilian (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) and then scored on Baluch’s hit.

Niagara scored its first two runs in the game in the fourth inning when Julicher led off the frame with a double to left center. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kilian and then scored on senior Colleen Larsen’s (Beiseker, Alb.) fielder’s choice. Senior Amy Dulski (Springville, N.Y./Springville Griffith Institute) scored the second run when she pinch ran for Baluch, went to second on Larsen’s fielder’s choice and scored on sophomore Shannon Mongalise’s (Bethel Park, Pa.) single.

Fairfield’s runs came on Laura Sandonato’s two-run home run in the fifth.

Senior Tegan Bennett (Stouffville, Ont.) picked up her fifth win of the season on the mound, throwing a complete game with nine hits, two runs and five strikeouts. Freshman Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca) was 2 for 4 at the plate.

Game 2 - Niagara 3, Fairfield 1

Julicher’s two-run triple in the first inning was all Niagara needed in the second game. Julicher’s hit scored senior Bradi Cochrane (Harriston, Ont.) and freshman Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) as both players got on with singles.

Fairfield also scored in the first inning when Sandanato got on with a fielder’s choice, went to second on a single, reached third on a walk and then scored on an error.

Baker tallied the Purple Eagle’s final run of the game when she singled to right field, was sacrificed to second by Cochrane, and scored on a single by Sum.

Sum was 2 for 2 and Julicher was 2 for 2 with two RBI.