Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Niagara softball team fell twice in its 2013 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opener Saturday afternoon. The Purple Eagles dropped the first game 3-2 in extra innings before falling in the second tilt, 9-6

Fairfield 3, Niagara 2

The Purple Eagles (3-18, 0-2 MAAC) rallied from two down to force extra innings, but it was the Fairfield Stags (14-12, 3-1 MAAC) who came out on top, 3-2.

After being held scoreless through four innings and facing a 2-0 deficit, an error by the Fairfield third baseman would bring sophomore Ambur Farmer across home plate to prevent the shutout and get Niagara on the board. With two runners on base, senior Becky Zill would sac fly to drive home the game tying run, 2-2.

The game would continue tied into the eighth inning. With the bases loaded and no outs, Fairfield would get the go-ahead score following an unearned run to end the game and steal the victory.

Junior Jenn Sansano allowed six hits in seven innings and struck out seven batters.

Junior Brittan Richberg hit 2-for-3, giving her a team-high 21 hits on the season.

Fairfield 9, Niagara 6

Holding a 4-0 lead in the top of the third, the Stags would score seven runs on five hits en route to a 9-6 win over Niagara.

Becky Zill’s first inning RBI single and third inning homer would help give Niagara a four run lead.

But it was an offensive explosion by Fairfield that would give the Stags a 7-4 lead, one which they would not surrender.

Niagara would add two more runs in the top of the fifth, but it would not be enough to overcome the deficit.

Sophomore Ambur Farmer, Senior Becky Zill, and Junior Brittany Richberg all registered multiple hits. Aileen Hinton, Amanda Werth, and Desarae Maldonado each added one hit of their own in the loss.

The Purple Eagles return to the diamond on Tuesday for the 2013 home debut against the Buffalo Bulls at Niagara Softball Field starting at 3 p.m.