NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara University softball team (16-16, 5-1 MAAC)defeated the Iona Gaels (8-21, 2-2 MAAC) 10-9 and 6-4 on a cold, Saturday afternoon to jump to 5-1 in the MAAC.

Head Coach Al Dirschberger was pleased with his squad's total team effort, as they were firing on all cylinders in the sweep.

"We were patient at bat and our pitchers were able to get into a groove," stated the 18-year head coach. "We had plenty of highlights today, including Heidi Conlon's first collegiate home run."

Niagara 10, Iona 9
The Purple Eagles fell behind early 3-0, before in the second inning, sophomore Jenna Baker (West Seneca, N.Y.) launched her 12th long ball of the season. Baker's round tripper broke Jennifer Yee's single-season home run record.

Niagara came into the third inning down 5-1, but they countered with a game-changing inning. Felicia Coffey (Mesa, Ariz.) singled and was promptly brought home when Kristen Sito (Elyria, Ohio) homered to cut the lead to two. Later in the inning, with bases loaded, Katie Gleiser (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) brought them all home with a three-RBI double to give Niagara the 9-5 lead.

Iona tied it in the fifth inning with four runs, prompting Niagara to respond. With Coffey on third base and two outs, Baker singled in the winning run. Baker went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Coffey went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Niagara 6, Iona 4
The second game of the doubleheader was rather different from the first, with Iona holding a 1-0 lead to the fourth inning. With one out and no one on, junior Heather Lohrman (Newport Beach, Calif.) hit a rocket down the right field line to tie the game at one. After a walk to Gleiser, junior Heidi Conlon (Lewiston, N.Y.) launched her first career home run over the center field wall to give Niagara the 3-1 lead. Coffey then singled through the right side, as an error by the right fielder allowed the Arizona native the opening to add to the Purple Eagle lead.

With a 4-1 lead, Niagara added more in the fifth. After Baker singled, freshman Maggie McDonald (Cicero, N.Y.) smacked a triple to increase the lead to 5-1. Lohrman then grounded out to second base, but was able to bring McDonald around for the 6-1 lead.

Anchoring Niagara's defense was Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Brooke Viola (Los Alamitos, Calif.). Healy, while playing first base caught a foul ball by hanging her glove over the fence to snow cone it for the out. Viola pitched five masterful innings, giving up four runs in 5.2 innings.

Coffey went 3-for-3 for Niagara, while Lohrman went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

The Purple Eagles head back to the diamond on Sunday to take on the Fairfield Stags, with first pitch at 11 a.m. If you can't be there, you can catch all of the action here.