Senior Andrea Crapo

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – In its last regular-season road trip of the season, the Niagara University softball team travels to Olean to take on Little Three rival St. Bonaventure in a doubleheader Wednesday at 3 p.m. at McGraw-Jennings Field.

The Purple Eagles enter the doubleheader in fifth place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings with a 7-7 record. Overall, Niagara is 17-25.

MAAC Player of the Year candidate Cheryl Julicher (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville North) is Niagara’s top offensive threat. She is leading the team in runs (31), doubles (8), triples (4), home runs (6), slugging percentage (.673), runs batted in (33), walks (18), stolen bases (6) and on-base percentage (.444). The senior broke Niagara’s single-season RBI record and tied the mark for home runs. She is also second in runs, five shy of the top spot.

Freshman catcher Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) leads the squad in hitting (.347), hits (42) and doubles (8). Her hit total is currently third on the single-season list. She needs 13 to break the record set by Kelly Cruttenden in 1998.

Classmate Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca) tops the team in at bats (136) and doubles (8), and is second in hits (41) and runs (26). The shortstop is also hitting .301, and her hit and at bat totals are fourth and second, respectively, on the Niagara single-season lists.

On the mound for the Purple Eagles, senior Tegan Bennett (Stouffville, Ont.) has a team low 2.86 earned-run average. She leads the pitching corp. in appearances (24), starts (17), complete games (10), innings pitched (115) and strikeouts (56). Bennett is fifth in single-season starts and third for third in appearances in the Niagara record book.

Classmate Andrea Crapo (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) has a 6-7 record with a 4.34 ERA. She has made 22 appearances with 12 starts, two complete games, a team-leading two saves and 24 strikeouts. She ranks second in single-season saves and fifth in appearances.

St. Bonaventure is 8-20 overall and has lost nine of its last 10 games.

Junior Kim Dotson is hitting a team-best .443 for the Bonnies. She is has a team-leading 35 hits, 17 runs and four doubles. Sophomore Kristin Burnetto is hitting .289 with 22 hits, 12 runs and a team-best 13 RBI.

On the mound, freshman Christine Keleher is 5-9 on the season and has starter 14 of 6 games. The right-hander has a 4.89 ERA and 12 complete games. Opponents are hitting .305 vs. Keleher and she has struck out 67 and walked 55.

Sophomore Molly McCarthy is 3-10 on the season with a 4.36 ERA. The right-hander has started 13 of 14 games.