NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Winners in five of its last six games, the Niagara University softball team (17-17, 9-5) has a chance to improve its seed in the upcoming 2007 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament when it closes the regular season with a trip to Lawrenceville, N.J., to take on Rider University (8-35, 2-10) in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

The Purple Eagles are currently in third place in the MAAC standings behind Canisius College and Saint Peter’s College. A pair of wins for Niagara and two loses by the Golden Griffins to Siena College and a pair of loses by the Peahens to Iona College would make the Purple Eagles the No. 1 seed in the tournament May 11-13 in Fairfield, Conn.

Niagara comes into Saturday’s doubleheader on a modest three-game winning streak after beating Youngstown State, 3-1 and 10-9 (8), Wednesday in non-conference action.

Senior Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) was 3-for-6 and registered her team-leading eighth home run and 11th double of the season in the series. On the year, the All-MAAC candidate is hitting .330 with 19 runs, 34 hits and 23 RBI.

Classmate Lisa Baker (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca West) leads the Purple Eagles with a .375 batting average and 23 runs. The All-MAAC candidate also has 36 hits and 15 RBI.

MAAC Rookie of the Year candidate Kristin Kill (South Portland, Maine) is hitting .374 with a squad-best 40 hits. The right fielder also has 21 runs, 10 doubles and 17 RBI.

All-MAAC candidate Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) tops the team with 25 RBI to go with a .345 batting average, 21 runs, 39 hits and five home runs.

Sophomores Heather Lohrman (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Felicia Coffey (Mesa, Ariz.) are also hitting .323 and .322 for the Purple Eagles.

On the mound, juniors Tiffany McCrory (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Brooke Viola (Los Alamitos, Calif.) have shared most of the pitching duties this season. McCrory has a 2.98 earned-run average in 20 appearances, including 16 starts and nine complete games. The right hander is 7-5 on the season and has four shut outs, a save and 74 strikeouts. Viola is 8-8 on the season with a 3.92 ERA in 19 appearances, 13 starts and eight complete games.

Rider has lost six of its last seven games. It snapped a five-game losing streak Wednesday when it won the first game of a doubleheader vs. Towson.

The Broncs are led offensively by Tiffany Day-Neutill who is hitting .424 with 56 hits, including four triples and four home runs, and 21 RBI. She also is 5-of-6 in stolen bases.

Four pitchers for Rider have made 10-or-more appearances. Jessica Holland has a 4.69 ERA while Lauren Brunner sports a 5.28 ERA. Both have 3-13 records and have 26 and 32 strikeouts, respectively.

Last year, Niagara swept the series with Rider at Niagara Field.