Junior Shannon Mongalise hit her first home run of the season on Tuesday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Niagara University softball team (9-19, 1-5) had its losing streak extended to four games when it dropped a doubleheader to Canisius College (12-10, 4-1) Tuesday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex. The Purple Eagles lost 5-1 in the first game and 5-2 in the second.

Niagara returns to action this weekend when it travels to New Rochelle, N.Y., to take on Iona College in a noon doubleheader on Saturday. On Sunday, the Purple Eagles play in Fairfield, Conn., at noon against Fairfield University.

Game 1 - Canisius 5, Niagara 1

After two scoreless innings, Canisius took a 3-0 lead when Katie Miranto tripled to left field. Beth Enk singled Miranto home and then scored when Jessica Martin hit a home run to left center.

The Golden Griffins built a 5-0 lead after four innings when Natalie Osika singled, stole second and scored on a Niagara error. Owen tallied the fifth run when she walked, stole second, advanced to third on an out and then stole home.

Niagara scored its only run of the game in the fifth when junior Shannon Mongalise (Bethel Park, Pa.) hit her first home run of the season.

Freshman Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) had the Purple Eagles’ only other hit, a single to right field in the seventh.

Rookie Tiffany McCrory (Albuquerque, N.M.) took the loss, going six innings and giving up six hits, five earned runs and five walks.

Game 2 - Canisius 5, Niagara 2

Niagara took a 1-0 lead in the third innings when sophomore Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y.) singled up the middle, went to third on a back-to-back ground outs, and scored on a single up the middle by Healy.

The Purple Eagles took a 2-0 lead into the fifth when sophomore Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) doubled to left field and Healy doubled down the right-field line for her second RBI of the game.

Canisius came from behind in the bottom of the sixth inning when it scored all five runs.

Sum and Healy were both 2 for 4, and freshman Melissa Markle (Orchard Park, N.Y.) registered her first collegiate double in the seventh inning.

McCrory took the loss when she relieved classmate Brooke Viola (Los Alamitos, Calif.) in the bottom of the sixth. Viola threw five innings, giving up six hits, two runs, two earned runs and two walks. McCrory gave up three hits, three runs, three earned runs against three batters.