Senior Tegan Bennett threw a three-hit shutout in the first game vs. Canisius Sunday. |
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University softball team (20-26, 8-8) had its first 20-win season since 2000 come to an end Sunday when it split a doubleheader at Niagara Field with cross-town rival Canisius College (19-27, 9-7). The Purple Eagles won the opener, 1-0, but then dropped the nightcap, 5-1.
Game 1 - Niagara 1, Canisius 0
Senior Tegan Bennett (Stouffville, Ont.) threw a three-hit shutout with six strikeouts to help Niagara win its 20th game of the season.
The Purple Eagles scored the game-winning run in the fourth inning when senior Cheryl Julicher (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville North) got on with a walk, advanced to third on a single through the right side by junior Kristina Kilian (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) and then scored on the game-winning single up the middle by senior Colleen Larsen (Beiseker, Alb.).
Canisius had runners in scoring position in the sixth inning, but a run down between second and third and a ground out ended the inning. Niagara’s infield took care of the final three outs in the seventh.
Kilian and Larsen had Niagara’s only two hits as Canisius’ right-hander Andrea Bunten went six innings, allowing two hits, four walks and striking out 11.
Game 2 - Canisius 5, Niagara 1
Canisius put together back-to-back two-run innings in the sixth and seventh to earn a split with Niagara.
The Golden Griffins took a 3-1 lead in the sixth when Tempie Coelho-Freeman tripled in Caitlin Lever and then Mandy Luukinen doubled to left field to score Freeman. In the seventh, Canisius Natalie Osika singled to right field, advanced to second on a walk to Jamie Gerace, moved to third on a single and then scored on a sacrifice fly. Gerace then tallied the final Griffin run on a fielder’s choice.
Canisius struck first when it scored in the top of the third inning. The Golden Griffins got runners on first and second with back-to-back bunt singles. Lead runner Becky Owen advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and then scored on a single by Lever.
Niagara tied the game in the bottom of the third when sophomore Shannon Monagalise (Bethel Park, Pa.) walked, stole second and then scored on a two-out single by freshman Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.).
Besides Sum’s single, Julicher had her team-leading fifth triple of the season in the second inning.
Bunten threw a two-hitter with seven strikeouts for Canisius, and Bennett took the loss for Niagara, throwing five and two-thirds innings and allowed eight hits, three runs and struck out five.
