BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Niagara softball team (6-10) concluded its four-game weekend series with the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (12-8) with a split on Sunday.  Niagara topped Lehigh, 6-3, in the first game before falling 11-6 in the second.

"We responded very well from yesterday and did a lot of nice things today,” head coach Al Dirschberger said. "We were more consistent today and we are moving in the right direction."

Niagara 6, Lehigh 3
The Purple Eagles got off to their best start of the season with a six-run first inning. Kristin Kill led off the game with a double and Kristin Sito followed with a walked. The next batter, Teresa Healy, launched her fourth home run of the season to give NU an early 3-0 lead.

Later in the inning, Jen Hare singled home Becky Zill from second base and Alexis Wayne's two RBIs double capped the Purple Eagles scoring.

It would be all the runs Niagara needed for starting pitcher Julie DiMatteo. The Mountain Hawks scored three runs in the third inning for the most damage they would cause. DiMatteo kept them scoreless in the last four innings en route to a complete game for her third win.

Niagara 6, Lehigh 11 
The doubleheader finale was scoreless through the first three innings. Lehigh managed to score two in the fourth and then five in the fifth to take a 7-0 lead.

Niagara stormed back into the game in the sixth. Zill belted a grand slam for her second home run of the season to pull Niagara to 6-4. However, Lehigh scored four runs of its own in the bottom of the inning for a 11-4 lead.

In the seventh inning, Jenna Baker hit a two out single to score two runs; Zill would pop out to end the game.

Niagara will have its home opener next Saturday at noon against archrival Canisius with a chance to clinch the Battle of the Bridge series for the Purple Eagles.