JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Niagara softball team (10-12, 3-1 MAAC) scored a record amount of runs in a doubleheader sweep of the Saint Peter's Peahens (2-22, 0-6 MAAC) on Saturday from Jaroshack Field. The Purple Eagles defeated the Peahens 16-7 and 14-4 en route to scoring 30 runs for their most in a doubleheader.

"We did a great job attacking the ball at the plate, which led to our offensive explosion," head coach Al Dirschberger said.

Niagara 16, Saint Peter's 7
Senior Jenna Baker and junior Teresa Healy both tied Niagara single game records with three other players with five RBIs in a single game. Niagara wasted little time getting on the scoreboard when Healy blasted a two-run homer in the first inning to get things started; Baker would hit a two-run home run in the third inning to give NU a 4-2 lead.

Niagara scored a program best 16 runs in the win, but found itself trailing 6-4 entering the sixth inning after the Peahens pushed across four runs in the fifth inning.  The Purple Eagles answered with  five runs in the sixth; Jen Hare and Healy each had RBI triples, while Kayla Hines laid down a sacrifice bunt for a RBI and Maggie McDonald drove home two runs with a RBI double.

In the seventh, Niagara batted around to put the game out of reach. Baker led off the inning with a single, in which she latter scored, and then cleared the bases with a triple at her next at bat. Healy had her third hit in the game to score two more runs as the Purple Eagles scored seven runs in the inning.

Sophomore pitcher Julie DiMatteo (6-2) earned her fourth-straight win with more than enough run support. Four Purple Eagles had multiple RBIs and five had multiple hits.

Niagara 14, Saint Peter's 4
Niagara broke a 4-4 tie in the fifth inning with a 10-run explosion in the sixth inning to put away the Peahens. It took the Purple Eagles four innings to score, but they eventually pushed 14 runs past home plate in the final three innings.

Saint Peter's scored two runs in the third inning for a 2-0 advantage heading into the fourth inning. Niagara would tie the game at 2-2 from a RBI single by Hare and a RBI double by Hines in the fourth inning. In the next inning, back-to-back RBIs by Kristin Sito and Baker gave the Purple Eagles a 4-2 lead. However, SPC scratched back with two runs in its half of the inning to tie the game at 4-4.

The Purple Eagles responded with a season-high 10-run sixth inning. A couple of miscues by the Peahens to start the inning put things in motion for Niagara. The trio of Kristin Kill, McDonald and Healy followed each other with hits to score a total of four runs; Kill and McDonald would drive home another run later in the inning. 

Kill, McDonald and Healy all went 3-for-5 and had two RBIs in the game, while Baker and Hines both went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.  Senior Cassie Stone won her fourth game of the season.  Niagara wrapped up the doubleheader with 30 runs and 33 hits.

The Purple Eagles travel to Riverdale, N.Y. to play a doubleheader against Manhattan starting at 9 a.m on Sunday.