Freshman Katie Gleiser |
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University softball team (22-18) will have to win on the road the rest of the season as it begins a seven-game road swing with a 3 p.m. game Tuesday vs. the University at Buffalo (12-39) at Nan Harvey Field.
The Purple Eagles went 1-3 and had a lack of offense this past weekend vs. Fairfield University and Iona College. Niagara looks to recharge its bats going into the latter part of the week. It plays six games in four days against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference competition which will decide its postseason chances.
MAAC Freshman of the Year candidate Jennifer Yee (North Delta, B.C.) continues to turn in a stellar rookie season. She is hitting a team-leading .464. Yee is also all over the single-season Niagara record lists. The shortstop has the top batting average, and needs three hits, four runs, and a home run to take over first in the respective categories.
First-team All-MAAC candidate Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) is also leaving her mark on the single-season lists. She is seventh in hits (41), eighth in runs (25), third in RBI (32), doubles (11) and home runs (8).
On the mound, sophomore Tiffany McCrory (Albuquerque, N.M.) saw a lot of action this past weekend, with the injury to classmate Brooke Viola (Los Alamitos, Calif.), and might see even more this week. The right-hander threw 35 of 42 innings last week, posting a 1.20 earned-run average and 2-2 record.
Freshman Katie Gleiser (Cheektowaga, N.Y./Maryvale) should see action Tuesday. The right-hander has a 3.91 ERA and 5-3 record in 12 games. She picked up a victory in her last outing, by throwing a two-hitter with five strikeouts vs. St. Bonaventure.
Buffalo looks to snap a three-game losing streak and play just its seventh and eighth home games of the season. The Bulls are 1-5 at Nan Harvey Field and last won there on April 2. This past weekend, Buffalo dropped a doubleheader with Kent State, 11-1 and 8-0.
Freshman Erin Zilka is the lone Bull hitting over .300. The outfielder is hitting .301 and leads the team in runs (19) and home runs (6). Junior Mary Russell tops the squad with 39 hits, including 10 doubles. Classmate Sophie Barstad has a team-best 25 RBI and sophomore Marcy Hansen is 10-of-12 on the bases.
On the mound, Barstad has a team-best 3.17 ERA and 10-21 record in 33 appearances. She averages 3.4 strikeouts and opponents are hitting .272 off the right-hander.
Niagara and Buffalo haven’t met on the diamond since 2003 after having doubleheaders in 2005 and 2004 canceled due to the weather. In 2003, the Bulls swept the series, 1-0 and 10-2.
