Miami (Ohio) Redhawks Invitational Central Page

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara softball team (4-9) will head to its fourth in-season tournament  this weekend when it participate in the 2012 Miami (Ohio) Redhawks Invitational. 

Winners of three of their last four games, the Purple Eagles will take on the host (11-9), Eastern Michigan (6-13) twice, Dayton (7-9) and Ball State (13-6). 

The Purple Eagles are paced by senior Jennifer Hare, junior Becky Zill and freshman Ambur Farmer. Hare is currently has a .297 batting average, with 11 hits and six RBIs. Zill has been one of the main catalysts for Niagara, with a .279 batting average, 12 hits, three home runs and 11 RBIs. Farmer has 10 hits and five RBIs, including two home runs. 

In the circle, senior Julie DiMatteo and sophomore Kim Bryson have been getting the majority of work. DiMatteo leads the team with a 3.80 earned-run average, while Bryson has a team-high 51 strikeouts. Bryson is currently striking out an average of 9.3 batters per seven innings, which ranks her 23rd nationally in the strikeouts per seven innings category. 

Following this weekend's invitational, Niagara visits Youngstown State for a mid-week doubleheader on March 21.