NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Both teams hit over .300 but the Niagara University softball team (12-16) lost a doubleheader to in-state rival Syracuse University (19-28) Wednesday afternoon at Niagara Field. The Purple Eagles lost 6-4 and 8-7.

Senior Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) was a triple away from hitting for the cycle in game two and finished the series going 4-for-7 with two doubles, a home run and two RBI. Classmate Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca West) was also 4-for-7 with a pair of doubles. Junior Melissa Markle (Orchard Park, N.Y./West Seneca West) had three RBI on two hits on the day.

Niagara returns to action Saturday when it hosts Marist College at noon.

Game 1 - Syracuse 6, Niagara 4

Syracuse scored four runs in the fourth to post a come-from-behind win in game one.

The Orange scored first when Chanel Roehner singled to right field, reached second on a sacrifice and then scored on single up the middle by Nicole Miller.

Niagara took a 2-1 lead in the third when junior Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.), Lisa Baker and Jenna Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca West) all singled to load the bases. Healy, Lisa Baker then scored on a Syracuse error.

The Purple Eagles added two more runs in the fourth when Sum hit an RBI double to left field and then scored on an Orange error.

Syracuse scored its second run in the fifth when Lindsay Wasek doubled to left and then scored on a triple by Jorden Rosen.

The Orange took a 6-4 lead in the sixth when Roehner hit a three-run home run to left centerfield and Wasek had a solo shot to left field.

Junior Tiffany McCrory (Albuquerque, N.M.) took the loss, throwing 5.1 innings and giving up 10 hits and striking out two. Classmate Brooke Viola (Los Alamitos, Calif.) pitched 1.2 innings.

Game 2 - Syracuse 8, Niagara 7

Niagara had the game-winning run on base in the bottom of the seventh but a fly out ended the Purple Eagles’ chance for a series split.

Syracuse took a 3-0 lead in the first inning when Heather Kill hit a two-run home run to left field and Rachel Tilford had a solo shot to center field. Niagara tied the game in the bottom of the first when Sum hit her team-leading sixth home run of the season. Markle and sophomore Heidi Colon (Lewiston, N.Y./Niagara Catholic) then had back-to-back RBI singles to plate Healy and Lisa Baker.

The Purple Eagles scored three more runs in the second when sophomore Felicia Coffey (Mesa, Ariz.) led off with a home run to right field, Sum doubled in freshman Kristin Kill (South Portland, Maine) and Lisa Baker doubled in Sum.

The Orange tied the game at 6-6 in the third. Erin Gray led off with a home run and Tilford had a two-run home run.

Syracuse made it 8-6 in the fourth when Gray scored on an error and Anderson stole home.

Niagara made it 8-7 in the bottom of the seventh when Lisa Baker walked, moved to second on a ground out, to third on a single by Markle and then scored on junior Jamie Constantz’s (Endicott, N.Y.) fielder’s choice. The Purple Eagles then were unable to tie the game with runners on first and second.

Viola took the loss, throwing three innings and giving up six hits and four runs. Sophomore Katie Gleiser (Cheektowaga, N.Y./Maryvale) threw the first two innings, giving up four hits and four runs. Freshman Cassie Stone (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) pitched the last two innings, allowing one hit.