Sophomore Tory Healy

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University softball team (16-12) continues its break from Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action when it hosts Colgate University (13-16) in a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader at Niagara Field.

The Purple Eagles are looking to snap a five-game losing streak and improve on their 3-3 home record. In the last outing at Syracuse, Niagara was shut out 13-0 and 6-0.

Despite the losing streak, the one-two punch of freshman Jennifer Yee (North Delta, B.C.) and sophomore Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) continues to lead the team, the league and the NCAA.

Yee tops the squad, the MAAC and the NCAA in hitting, batting .530 (44-of-83). She also leads the team in runs (26), hits, home runs (7) and stolen bases (7-of-9).

Healy, who entered the week ranked in the NCAA top 50 in fourth categories, including eighth in doubles (11), is second in hitting (.420), runs (22), hits (34), home runs (6), and first in RBI (28).

Niagara has two other players hitting .300-or-better in freshman Christine Howden (Cavan, Ont.) and junior Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.). Howden is hitting .333 and Sum .313.

On the mound, the Purple Eagle pitching corps has a 3.41 earned-run average after giving up 25 hits vs. the very potent Syracuse offense.

Sophomore Tiffany McCrory (Albuquerque, N.M.) has a 3.05 ERA and 8-5 record in 14 appearances. She is averaging 4.07 strikeouts per game and opponents are hitting .271 off the right-hander.

Classmate Brooke Viola (Los Alamitos, Calif.) is 4-5 on the pitch with a 3.93 ERA in 12 appearances. The right-hander is averaging 3.41 strikeouts per game and foes are hitting .271.

Colgate has won once in its last four games this past weekend vs. Lafayette. The Raiders are in third place in the Patriot League with a 6-6 record.

Sophomore LaPorscha Albert tops the team in hitting (.420), runs (22), hits (37), doubles (12) and stolen bases (4-of-5). Freshman Ashley Rowe is one of three Raiders hitting .300-or-better and she has a team-leading four home runs and 29 RBI.

Colgate’s workhorse on the mound is senior Kate Howard. The right-hander is 11-7 with a 2.59 ERA in 18 appearances, 17 starts and 14 complete games. Howard is averaging 4.1 strikeouts per game and teams are hitting .266 against her.

Junior Kelsey Nordstrom has a squad-best 1.96 in nine appearances, and Rowe is 1-5 with a 5.54 ERA in 15 appearances.

In the last meeting in 2004, Colgate swept the series in Hamilton, N.Y., with wins of 7-4 and 7-3.