Box Score

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – With an ending fit for a storybook, the Niagara softball team used a walkoff home run from senior Becky Zill in the bottom of the seventh inning to slip past the UMBC Retrievers, 4-3. Niagara improves to 15-28, while UMBC falls to 11-41.

In her final at-bat at Niagara Softball Field and the game tied 3-3, Zill smacked her 26^th career homer, a single-shot over the left field wall, to end the game and secure the victory for the Purple Eagles. The Erie, Pa. native finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, improving her team-high batting average to .346.

Sophomore Amanda Werth completed her fourth perfect batting game of the season, hitting 3-for-3 and driving in two runs. In the last two weeks during her team’s playoff push, Werth has recorded a .484 batting average with five doubles and nine RBIs while not committing a single error.

Up 1-0 after the first frame, UMBC took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning with RBI-singles from Mary Hartman and Bridget O’Malley. The Retrievers held NU scoreless again in the fourth, taking their lead into the fifth.

Early in the fifth inning, Junior Brittany Richberg put Niagara on the board with an RBI-single to score freshman Ally Gay. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Werth drove home two runs with a single to center field, tying up the contest, 3-3.

Hidden behind Zill’s game-winning hit, senior Gabrielle Lustrinelli made two important defensive plays in the sixth inning to keep the score equal, catching a line drive from UMBC’s leadoff hitter Danielle O’Neill, and following the play with a hard toss to first to throw out Bridget O’Malley.

Freshman Sydney Smyers (2-3) earned the win in her third complete game this season, allowing three runs on seven hits. Heather Brown (6-20) drew the loss, tossing four strikeouts and giving up 11 hits.

The Purple Eagles return to action on Thursday, May 9 to begin MAAC Tournament play in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. NU qualifies for the tournament with Fairfield, Marist, and Siena.