Freshman Tory Healy had three RBI and a home run vs. Rider Saturday. |
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – The Niagara University softball team (12-29, 2-13) dropped a pair of games, 7-6, and 3-1, to Rider University (15-31, 5-9) Saturday to conclude its 2005 season.
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year candidate Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) was 2 for 6 with two runs, three RBI and a home run in the two-game series. With her first RBI of the weekend, the second baseman broke the Niagara single-season record (36). She also finished the year with the most home runs (9) and fifth-most hits (44) in a single-season.
Game 1 - Rider 7, Niagara 6
Rider scored six runs in the fourth inning and held of Niagara to win the first game of the doubleheader.
The Broncs collected the six runs on six hits, all singles, a wild pitch, a walk and a Purple Eagle error.
Niagara took a 6-0 lead in the second inning when freshman Melissa Markle (Orchard Park, N.Y./West Seneca West) tripled to score Healy and then stole home. Sophomore Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca West) collected one of her two singles on the day to score the third run. Rider walked the fourth run in and Healy hit a two-run single for the final two runs.
Rider scored in the bottom of the second when Erin McGlynn had a two-out double to right field.
Baker was 2 for 4 and Markle 2 for 3. Senior Jillian Koch (Tonawanda, N.Y./Tonawanda) took the loss on the mound.
Game 2 - Rider 3, Niagara 1
Rider again came from behind to beat Niagara in the night cap when it scored in the sixth and seventh innings.
After trailing 1-0 after the first inning, the Purple Eagles tied the game when Healy had a solo home run to start the second.
Niagara left three runners on base in the third after freshman Jamie Constantz (Endicott, N.Y.) reached on an error, sophomore Ashley Bognar (Tonawanda, N.Y./Cardinal O’Hara) doubled down the right field line and junior Shannon Mongalise (Bethel Park, Pa.) singled.
Rider’s Jennifer Cullen homered to left field to take a 2-1 lead in the fifth.
The Purple Eagles again stranded three runs on base in the top of the sixth. Sophomore Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) singled, senior Kristina Kilian (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) singled and senior Jamie Horn (Youngstown, N.Y./Lewiston-Porter) reached a fielder’s choice.
The Broncs got their final run in the sixth when Ashley Boulden doubled in the run.
Freshman Brooke Viola (Los Alamitos, Calif.) took the loss on the mound.
