Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Niagara softball team held a lead in both games, but eventually fell twice to Lehigh on Sunday afternoon. The first game went into extra innings, losing 4-3, before dropping game two, 10-8.

“We came out ready to play both games today,” said head coach Ellie Chan. “We just needed to string some hits together late in the first game, which we struggled with. The second game, the girls absolutely played their hearts out, but we just came up short. Both games were very emotional for us as we walked off the field because we put so much effort and heart into them. Lehigh got better as the game went on with each game they played. They challenged us and we responded. All we can do is continue building on each game. I'm very proud of the girls today. 
 
Lehigh 4, Niagara 3

An early lead would give the Purple Eagles (3-16) the score advantage, but a late run would send game one into extra innings and allow Lehigh (11-9-1) to win the first of the Sunday doubleheader, 4-3.

Niagara would take a 2-0 lead after the first inning thanks to RBIs from junior Aileen Hinton and Senior Alexis Wayne  Five different batters would register a hit for the Purple Eagles in the first, including Hinton, Wayne, Becky Zill, Amanda Werth, and
Brittany Richberg.

After Lehigh added a run in the third inning, Niagara would extend its lead 3-1. Following Werth’s second single of the game, Freshman Miranda Ortega would pinch run for the sophomore, and would cross home plate

Lehigh would score in the bottom of the sixth and again in the seventh to equalize the score, 3-3. After a scoreless eighth inning, Lehigh’s M. Decker would hit a walk-off single, ending the game in extra innings and taking the first of the day.

Wayne went 2-for-4 with one RBI, and is tied with a team-high 17 hits on the season.

Lehigh 10, Niagara 8

Four Purple Eagles registered multiple hits, but Niagara fell short during an offensive battle, 10-8.

Trailing by four in the final inning, Niagara would add two runs to threaten Lehigh’s score advantage. After a sacrifice bunt would advance Richberg to second base, Zill singled to center field to score Richberg. Zill’s time on base was short, as she reached home during the following at-bat after Wayne’s extra base hit down the left field line.

With two outs and runners on first and third, Lehigh would retire the final batter, securing the second victory of the afternoon for the Mountain Hawks.

Becky Zill would homer in the first inning to put Niagara up 2-0, giving her 21 career home runs sole possession of fourth place on Niagara’s all-time list, just three shy of third (Kristin Sito, 24).

Richberg, Gruarin, Zill, and Wayne all registered multiple hits in the loss, marking the second time this season that four different batters recorded two or more hits in a single game (5-4 loss, March 7 vs. Holy Cross).

Niagara returns to the diamond on Thursday, March 28 with a doubleheader at Binghamton beginning at 3 p.m. before hosting Buffalo for its 2013 home opener on Wednesday, April 3.