NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara softball team suffered its first conference sweep of the season against the Fairfield Stags on Sunday afternoon. The Purple Eagles fell 4-1 and 5-0 in their final home MAAC series.

Niagara (17-19, 7-5 MAAC) was shutdown at the plate by a strong pitching performance by Fairfield's (23-19, 7-5 MAAC) pitcher Sarah Minice (14-12), who held the Purple Eagles scoreless in the last 13 innings of the doubleheader.

Fairfield 4, Niagara 1

Niagara started game one with a run in the first inning to take an early lead. Teresa Healy drove home leadoff batter Kristin Kill from second base for her team-leading 36th RBI. Fairfield would tie the game at 1-1 in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Allison Wigand.

The game remained tied until the sixth inning when the Stags finally got to starting pitcher Julie DiMatteo. The Stags took a 2-1 lead when Kayla Marth hit a RBI double to left centerfield. Fairfield added two insurance runs in the seventh inning on RBI two singles for a 4-1 lead.

The Purple Eagles retired in order in the seventh inning to end the game. Niagara was held to five hits in the game, with three of them coming from Kill who went 3-for-3.

Fairfield 5, Niagara 0

Fielding miscues proved costly for the Purple Eagles in the tail end of the doubleheader. Fairfield scored three runs on four Niagara errors.

Niagara also continued to struggle against Minice. Niagara, which entered the sixth inning trailing 3-0, had two runners on base with one out from a leadoff single by Maggie McDonald and Jenna Baker reached on a fielder's choice. However, Kristin Sito would ground out to short and Alexis Wayne struck out to end the threat.

In the seventh inning, the Purple Eagles committed their fourth error which allowed the Stags to score another run. Fairfield tact on its fifth run in the game due to some aggressive base running on a fail pickoff attempt at second base.

Niagara looks to rebound on Wednesday when its hosts Little 3 rival St. Bonaventure.