Senior Kelly Flaherty hit the game-winning double in game two.

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Niagara University softball team (23-20, 5-6) helped its postseason chances Thursday afternoon, earning a doubleheader split at Marist College (29-10, 11-3). The Red Foxes won the opener, 8-0, but the Purple Eagles were victorious in the nightcap, 5-4. The win helped the squad tie the school record for wins in a single season.

Niagara retuns to action Saturday when it plays a noon doubleheader at Manhattan College.

Marist 8, Niagara 0

Megan Rigo threw a two-hitter and Marist collected 12 hits to shut down the Purple Eagles. It was the 10th time Niagara was shut out this season.

Senior Kelly Flaherty (Hastings, N.Y.) and freshman Heather Lohrman (Newport Beach, Calif.) registered Niagara’s lone hits in the loss. Rookie Katie Gleiser (Cheektowaga, N.Y./Maryvale) took the loss on the mound giving up seven earned runs, walking two and striking out one.

The Red Foxes took a four-run lead in the first inning, including a two-run home run from Jasmery Polanco.

In the fourth inning, Chrystine McHugh lead-off with a home run to right center to put Marist up 5-0.

Marist scored an earned and two unearned runs on three hits and an error in the sixth.

Niagara 5, Marist 4

Kelly Flaherty hit just her third double of the season but it turned out to be the game-winning hit for Niagara.

The Purple Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the second when senior Shannon Mongalise (Bethel Park, Pa.) walked, went to third on a Lohrman double to right center and then scored on a single to third base by sophomore Jamie Constantz (Endicott, N.Y.).

In the fifth, junior Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca West) doubled to right center, moved to third on a single by junior Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) and then scored on an RBI single to center field by freshman Jennifer Yee (North Delta, B.C.).

Niagara extended its lead to 5-0 after the top of the sixth when Mongalise scored on an error and Flaherty it a two-run double to left center.

Marist rallied in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs with two outs when Jessica Green hit a two-run home run and Annie Castellano hit a solo homer.

Yee was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and sophomore Tiffany McCrory (Albuquerque, N.M.) picked up her 12th win of the season, giving up nine hits, four earned runs and striking out four.