NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara softball team split its twinbill against conference leading Iona on senior day Saturday at Niagara Field. The Purple Eagles were edged in a pitchers' duel in game one, 3-2, but toppled Iona 10-1 in game two to hand the Gaels' their first loss in MAAC play.

"We played really well in both games today," head coach Al Dirschberger said. "We had quality at-bats today, which allowed us to win game two." 

Iona 3, Niagara 2
Niagara (17-17, 7-3 MAAC) and Iona (23-20, 11-1 MAAC) combined for seven hits and zero runs through five innings, as both teams were caught in a pitchers' duel between each teams' number one hurler, Julie DiMatteo (12-4) and Iona's Sarah Jackson (14-5).

DiMatteo, however, was unlucky to lose her shutout from two costly errors in the sixth inning. Iona's Jodi Petersen led off the inning with a double to left field and Eileen McCann reached on an error. Allyssa James followed and reached base on a fielder's choice, but an throwing error by catcher Becky Zill on a failed run down between third base and home plate scored Peterson and McCann to give Iona a 2-0 lead. The Gaels tact on another run in the seventh when Petersen was hit by the pitch with the bases loaded.

The Purple Eagles attempted a rally in their final inning. Junior Kayla Hines belted her third home run of the year to score Jen Hare to bring Niagara to 3-2 with one out. The rally fell short when Zill and Alexis Wayne recorded the final two outs.

Iona 1, Niagara 10 (5 innings)
The Purple Eagles jumped on the Gaels early and never looked back in game two of the doubleheader.

Junior Teresa Healy launched a two-run homer in the first inning to give NU a 2-0 lead. In the second inning, Maggie McDonald drove home Zill and Hare with a single to left field. Healy followed with her third RBI in two innings with a single to score senior Kristin Kill, which forced Iona to pull its starting pitcher, Deanne Algeo.

Niagara took a 5-1 lead into the fourth inning where the Purple Eagles put the game away with clutch hitting. Senior Laynie Stillman led off the inning with a walk, and four batters later, fellow senior Jenna Baker hit a hard ground ball up the middle to score two runs with the bases loaded. Hines later cleared the bases with a three-run RBI double to centerfield as the Purple Eagles took a commanding 10-1 lead into the fifth inning. Senior Cassie Stone held Iona scoreless in the two innings of work as DiMatteo earned her twelfth win of the season.

After the game, the four seniors Baker, Kill, Stillman and Stone were honored.

Niagara hosts Fairfield on Sunday in its final home MAAC series starting at 11 a.m.