NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Two points in the annual Battle of the Bridge will be on the line Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. as the Niagara University softball team (10-13, 5-3) takes on cross-town rival Canisius College (19-18, 7-3) in a doubleheader at the Demske Sports Complex.

The Purple Eagles, who lead 21-7 in the race for the Canal Cup, split series with Saint Peter’s College in its last outing April 21. They currently are in a fourth place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings, but a pair of wins would put them in a three-way tie for second place with Canisius and Saint Peter’s.

Niagara has six players hitting over .300 led by freshman Kristin Kill’s (South Portland, Maine) .384 average. The right fielder also tops the team in runs (18), hits (28) and doubles (8).

Junior Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) and sophomore Felicia Coffey (Mesa, Ariz.) both have 28 hits, and are batting .341 and .337, respectively. Healy also has a squad-best 17 RBI.

Senior Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) is hitting .333 with 23 hits, six doubles, a team-leading five home runs and 16 RBI.

On the mound, junior Brooke Viola (Los Alamitos, Calif.) has a 3.11 earned-run average, 7-5 record in 13 appearances and 71 strikeouts. She is coming on a four-hit shut out of the Peahens. Classmate Tiffany McCrory (Albuquerque, N.M.) has a 3.40 earned-run average and 72 strikeouts in 13 appearances and 11 starts.

Canisius has won eight of its last nine games and enters Tuesday’s doubleheader on a four-game winning streak after sweeping Manhattan and Rider last weekend.

The Golden Griffins’ offense is led by Katie Miranto who is hitting .406 and leads the team with 38 runs, 43 hits, seven doubles, five triples and seven home runs. Jenny Maheu is hitting .363 with 41 hits, and has stolen 11 of 15 bases.

Canisius has used three pitchers extensively this season. Courtney Piar has a 1.71 ERA, 8-4 record and 113 strikeouts in 14 starts and 17 games. Lindsay Garbacz has started 13 of her 20 appearances and has a 2.59 ERA, 6-6 record and 66 strikeouts. Four-time MAAC Pitcher of the Week Juliette Bowers has pitched 73 innings in nine starts and 24 appearances. She has a 3.36 ERA, 5-6 record, 67 strikeouts and six saves.

Niagara will be looking for its first win in the series since beating Canisius, 1-0, in 2004. The Purple Eagles last swept the series in 2003, winning 8-1 and 7-6 in nine innings at the Demske Sports Complex. Last year, Niagara lost 3-2 and 7-1 at Niagara Field. The Golden Griffins lead the all-time series, 75-15-1.