NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – After winning four of its six games during a six-game home stand, the Niagara University softball team begins a six-game road swing this weekend. The Purple Eagles travel to Riverdale, N.Y., Saturday for a doubleheader with Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference foe Manhattan. First pitch at Gaelic Park is 9 a.m. Niagara’s second series of the weekend is with defending MAAC regular-season champ Saint Peter’s on Sunday in Jersey City, N.J. First pitch at Joseph J. Jaroschak Field is at 1 p.m.

The Purple Eagles enter the weekend in first place in the MAAC with a 6-2 record. Niagara is coming off a mid-week split with Cleveland State that left it 15-19 overall.

Senior third baseman Cheryl Julicher (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville) is Niagara’s top offensive threat. She is leading the team in hitting (.367), runs (25), triples (4), home runs (3), slugging percentage (.646), runs batted in (23), walks (15), stolen bases (6) and on-base percentage (.469).

Freshman catcher Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) leads the squad in doubles (6) and is second in hits (30) while hitting .309. Classmate Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca) tops the team in hits (31) and at bats (109) and is second in runs (20) and doubles (5). The shortstop is also hitting .284.

On the mound for the Purple Eagles, senior Tegan Bennett (Stouffville, Ont.) has a team low 2.51 earned-run average. She leads the pitching corp in appearances (18), starts (13), complete games (7), innings pitched (86.1) and strike outs (40). Classmate Andrea Crapo (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) has a 6-5 record with a 4.08 ERA. She has made 18 appearances with 10 starts, two complete games, a save and 19 strike outs.

Manhattan enters the doubleheader with a 9-22 overall record and 4-2 mark in the MAAC. The Jaspers have won six of their last seven games, but dropped their most recent game, 2-1, to Drexel.

Sophomore Kiera Fox leads Manhattan in hitting (.317), runs (6), hits (20), doubles (3), home runs (1), RBI (7) and stolen bases (6).

On the mound, sophomore Jillian Medea has been Manhattan’s starter. The right-hander has a 2.08 ERA, 6-11 record, 19 appearances, 17 starts, 14 complete games, three shut outs and 99 strike outs. Opponents are hitting .231 against her.

Saint Peter’s is on a three-game winning streak entering the weekend. The Peahens had back-to-back shut outs against St. Francis (N.Y.) this week. They host Canisius on Saturday before facing Niagara.

Junior Jen Coraro is Saint Peter’s top offensive threat as she leads the Peahens in hitting (.362), runs (14), hits (21) and stolen bases (5). Classmate Nikki Melchiorre is hitting .300 had leads the squad in hits (21), doubles (6), triples (1), RBI (15) and slugging percentage (.500).

Saint Peter’s pitching tandem is sophomores Robin Freels and Michelle Bair. Freels is 4-8 on the year with a 2.48 ERA. She has make 14 appearances with 11 starts, eight complete games and has 34 strike outs. Bair sports a 2.88 ERA and 3-7 record. She has started all 11 of her appearances and completed seven, and has 41 strikeouts.