YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Niagara University softball team defeated the Youngstown State Penguins 10-4 in the first half of a double dip on Tuesday afternoon before dropping the nightcap 14-6. The split puts the Purple Eagles at 11-13 on the year.
While the Purple Eagles had a great start to the day, the ending didn't go as coach Al Dirschberger had wanted.
"I thought we played extremely well in the first game," Dirschberger stated. "We let the elements get to us in the second game and were beaten by a determined Penguin team."
Niagara 10, Youngstown St. 4
In the first game, Niagara jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. Felicia Coffey (Mesa, Az.) led off the day with a single to center field, followed by Tory Healy’s (Las Vegas, Nev.) fifth home run of the year. Coffey got things started again with another single in the third inning, as Kristin Sito (Elyria, Ohio) was beaned, putting runners on first and second with no outs. After the runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, another wild pitch sent Sito to third and scored Coffey. Healy then sent a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring the Ohio native.
With Niagara up 5-0 in the sixth inning, they continued their offensive output. After Heather Lohrman (Newport Beach, Calif.) was hit by a pitch and advanced to second base, Jamie Constantz (Endicott, N.Y.) doubled, bringing home Niagara’s first run of the sixth inning. After a Maggie McDonald (Cicero, N.Y.) single for runners on first and second, Coffey nailed her sixth dinger of the season, to put Niagara up 9-0. Sito then hit her third home run of the season to push the Niagara lead to a 10-0 lead.
Brooke Viola (Los Alamitos, Calif.) pitched five scoreless innings and struck out two before surrendering three runs in the sixth. With a 10-3 lead, Cassie Stone (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) came in the game to shut the door on Youngstown State, only surrendering one run.
Youngstown St. 14, Niagara 6
The second game saw another fast start for the Purple Eagles. Niagara continues to hammer the ball, as freshman Teresa Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) banged out a solo home run in the first inning for the 1-0 lead. In the third inning with the scored tied at one and Sito on first, Teresa Healy hit her second home run of game to put Niagara up 3-1.
After a Penguin home run tied it at three, the Purple Eagles played small ball to take the lead once again. With Jenna Baker (West Seneca, N.Y) already on first, Lohrman doubled to left center, to place runners on second and third. Sophomore Kristin Kill (South Portland, Maine) sent a fly ball to deep left, sacrificing herself to put the Purps up 4-3.
Youngstown State rallied quickly, as a two-run home run in the bottom half of the fourth inning helped spur the Penguins to a 7-4 lead. Niagara would cut the deficit to 7-6 in the fifth inning, as Tory Healy hit her second home run of the day and her sixth on the season. Niagara finished the day with 34 home runs on the season, which beats out the 2006 Niagara team (32) for most home runs in a single season by a Niagara team. The Penguins countered with a four runs in the fifth inning and three more in the sixth to win the game 14-6.
The Purple Eagles hit the field again on Saturday afternoon, as they open up MAAC play against Saint Peter’s.
