Sophomore Lisa Baker |
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University softball team (11-26) plays its final home series of 2005 Wednesday when it hosts Little Three rival St. Bonaventure University (12-21) in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. at Niagara Field.
The Purple Eagles look to end a two-game losing streak while the Bonnies are on a four-game losing stretch.
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year candidate Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) is on the verge of another Niagara single-season record. The second baseman registered her team-leading 33rd RBI in Tuesday’s game and needs one to break the record for the most RBI in a single season. Healy already has the home run mark (8) and is fifth in hits (42).
On the season, Healy leads the Purple Eagles in hitting (.396), hits, runs (20), doubles (8), home runs, RBI, total bases (76) and slugging percentage (.717). Healy is ranked fourth in hitting and slugging, and fifth in RBI in overall conference games. In MAAC-only games, she is seventh in hitting (.400), second in RBI (13), home runs (4), total bases (28) and third in slugging percentage (.800). Healy has the top freshman batting average in overall and league games.
Junior Shannon Mongalise (Bethel Park, Pa.) is hitting .317 with 26 hits and 13 RBI. Sophomore Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca West) is hitting .297 with 20 runs, 35 hits, four doubles and six RBI.
On the mound, freshman Tiffany McCrory (Albuquerque, N.M.) has a 4.06 ERA and 5-12 record in 25 appearances, 16 starts and 11 complete games. She leads the team with 80 strikeouts which is tied for fourth on the Niagara single-season strikeout list.
St. Bonaventure is led offensively by a pair of seniors. Laurie Stone leads the team in batting average (.297), hits (30) and RBI (20). Classmate Kim Dodson is hitting .291 with 30 hits and five doubles.
On the pitch, sophomore Christine Keleher has a 2.77 ERA and 8-11 record in 19 appearances, 18 starts and 14 complete games. She also has a team-leading 62 strikeouts.
Junior Molly McCarthy has a 3.33 ERA and 1-3 record while freshman Brianna Bricker has a 4.25 ERA with a 3-6 record.
In a doubleheader earlier this season, St. Bonaventure won the first game, 7-4, but Niagara came back with a 5-4 victory. Healy was 4 for 6 with two doubles, and Baker 4 for 8 in the series.
