Kissimmee, Fla. – Niagara softball dropped a pair of games on Thursday as the Purple Eagles continued play at the Rebel Spring Games.
Albany 7, Niagara 6A late-inning rally by the Great Danes (6-4) denied the Purple Eagles' their first win of the season.
The Purple Eagles scored three runs in the first inning.
Katelyn Gruarin opened the inning with a bunt single and later sole second. Freshman
Taylor Moody followed with a single before a fielder's choice allowed Gruarin to score from third. Moody, then, scored on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly by
Brianna Clark scored
Chanelle Ward from third.
However, Albany tied the game in the second inning with three runs on three hits and the Great Danes took a 5-3 lead in the third inning on two RBI singles. NU scored one run in its half of the third on a double by
Amanda Werth. Niagara regained the lead in the next inning on a two-run double by Moody, who finished the game going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs.
After three scoreless innings by Albany, the Great Danes tied the game on an error in the seventh inning with two outs and forced extra innings when NU was unable to score its half of the inning.
In the eighth inning, Albany loaded the bases and scored on a wild pitch to go ahead 7-6. Niagara managed to get out of the inning without any more damage. Though, the Purple Eagles' offense was held scoreless in the eighth inning to end the game.
Pitcher
Sydney Smyers went the distance and struck out a season-high seven batters.
Niagara 0, Creighton 8The Big East's Creighton Bluejays (10-4) jumped out early on Niagara (0-12) en route to an 8-0 win in six innings.
Creighton drove home four runs in the first inning. NU kept Creighton off the board over the next three innings, but was unable to muster any offense; the Purple Eagles were held to three hits. A pair of runs in the fifth and sixth innings ended the game in favor of the Bluejays.
NU wraps up play at the Rebel Spring Games on Saturday against South Dakota and Valparaiso.
