NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara softball team dropped a pair of games versus the Manhattan Lady Jaspers on Sunday afternoon. Niagara fell 9-6 in game one and 8-4 in game two in its first home and conference games of the season.
On the day, Niagara (14-11, 0-2 MAAC) made several mental mistakes in the field and on the base path and struggled at the plate.
“We were not consistent in pitching, hitting or fielding this afternoon,” head coach Al Dirschberger said. “We did not play the well we are capable of.”
However, the day started off brightly for the Purple Eagles. Niagara benefited from two first inning Manhattan errors to jump to a 3-0 lead. Teresa Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) belted a two-run blast over the left field wall for her eighth of the season in that inning.
Kayla Hines (Clifton Park, N.Y.) hit a two-run home run in the third inning to join Healy with eight homers on the season; Niagara was up 5-1 after three innings.
Manhattan (8-18, 2-0 MAAC) erased the deficit by scoring eight-straight runs in the next two innings.
In the fourth inning, the Lady Jaspers scored six runs with two outs including a two-run homer to take a 7-5 lead. Manhattan added two more runs in the fifth. NU had ample chances to score, but continued to leave runners on base. In their half of the fourth, the Purple Eagles ended the inning with the bases loaded and in the fifth inning they left runners on second and third.
Niagara’ last chance for a comeback ended in the seventh. The Purple Eagles scored one run with the bases loaded before Felicia Coffey (Mesa, Ariz.) grounded out to second to end the game.
Pitcher Julie DiMatteo (South Portland, Maine) suffered the loss.
Niagara fell in a hole early to Manhattan in game two; the Lady Jaspers scored four first inning runs off of Michelle Krier (Kenmore, N.Y.) who picked up her fourth loss of the season.
Trailing 5-1 entering their half of the second, the Purple Eagles collected two runs from a home run by Kristin Sito (Elyria, Ohio). Manhattan made it difficult for Niagara to get any closer, because the Lady Jaspers scored one run in the next three innings for 8-3 lead.
