NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University softball team (10-12, 4-2) will have to chance to take over first place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings when it hosts Saint Peter’s College (14-14, 6-2) in a noon doubleheader Saturday at Niagara Field.

The Purple Eagles are currently in third place in the MAAC, behind the Peahens and Marist College, who sweep Rider University Wednesday to take over first place with a 7-3 league record.

Niagara has been hitting the ball well during its current four-game winning streak. In wins over Colgate University and Manhattan College last week, the squad hit .463 with 18 extra-base hits, including eight home runs by seven different players, and posted a .744 slugging percentage.

Two-time MAAC Rookie of the Week Kristin Kill (South Portland, Maine) is one of six Purple Eagles hitting over .300. She tops the team with a .373 average, 17 runs, 25 hits and seven doubles. Sophomore Felicia Coffey (Mesa, Ariz.) also has a squad-best 25 hits to go with a .333 batting average and 12 runs.

The sister duo of senior Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca West) and freshman Jenna Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca West) are hitting .368 and .288, respectively. Lisa, this week’s MAAC Player of the Week, also has 12 runs, 21 hits and four doubles. Jenna has 19 hits, a team-leading seven doubles and 15 RBI.

Junior Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) tops the squad with 16 RBI and has a .324 batting average, 24 hits and four doubles. Senior Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) is hitting .328 with 20 hits, five doubles, a team-leading four home runs and 15 RBI.

On the mound, junior Tiffany McCrory (Albuquerque, N.M.) has a 2.54 earned-run average, 4-3 record, 42 strikeouts in 12 games, including 10 starts. Classmate Brooke Viola (Los Alamitos, Calif.) has a 3.50 ERA, 6-5 record, 45 strikeouts in 12 games and eight starts.

Saint Peter’s is atop the MAAC standings entering the weekend after opening the season with a 6-0 record before losing 7-0 and 6-0 at Canisius last week. It is at Stony Brook today for a 3 p.m. doubleheader.

The Peahens are led by senior Julie Saporito who tops the team in hitting (.435), hits (30), runs (21), doubles (11), home runs (7) and RBI (22). Tricia Reingle (.354), Michelle Casares (.301) and Chrissy Gannon (.300) are all hitting .300-or-better.

On the mound, Amber Phillips has a 2.42 ERA, 4-6 record and 27 strikeouts in 14 appearances. Reingle has a 1.70 ERA, 7-2 record, three shutouts, 39 strikeouts in 11 games.

Last year, Saint Peter’s swept the series, 7-6 and 6-2, in Jersey City, N.J.