CLEVELAND, OH. – In both of their road games Friday afternoon at Cleveland State, the Purple Eagles softball team fell into early deficits but fought back before falling to the Vikings by one run. Niagara (2-14) scored a season-high nine runs in a 10-9 loss in the afternoon's first game before falling 5-4 in game two.

Freshmen Maria Gabriele (3-for-6) and Jennifer Szilagyi (2-for-4) both hit .500 in the doubleheader at Cleveland State. Jennifer Chandler, Bridget Hogan, Sarah March, and Jennifer Timm all hit home runs in the series, while Szilagyi and Timm each hit a team-leading three RBI's on Friday.
 
Cleveland State 10, Niagara 9
 
Niagara fell behind 8-0 through three innings of play before getting on the scoreboard with two runs in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Hogan opened the Purple Eagles' scoring with a home run to right center. The next batter up was March, who hit a solo shot to right field for her team-leading third home run of the season.
 
Trailing 8-2 in the top of the sixth inning, Niagara rattled off five runs on five hits to pull within one. March earned an RBI reaching on a fielder's choice and Chanelle Ward hit an RBI single before Szilagyi capped the inning with a three-RBI double to left field. Cleveland State responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, sending Niagara to the top of the seventh trailing 10-7.
 
After Erin Bohan opened the seventh with a single, Gabriele singled to left field, advancing to second on an error while Bohan scored. After the Vikings got two outs, Bridget Hogan hit an RBI single to draw Niagara within one. March singled to put runners on first and second with two outs, but Niagara could not find the tying run, falling by a final score of 10-9.
 
Cleveland State 5, Niagara 4
 
In the second game of Friday's doubleheader, Niagara and Cleveland State played three scoreless innings before the Vikings racked up four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a sizeable lead. Trailing 4-0 in the top of the fifth, Niagara got on the board as Chandler homered to left field. Gabriele got on base with a single, but the Purple Eagles could not pick up a second run.
 
Cleveland State scored once in the bottom of the fifth inning to reestablish the four-run lead, but Niagara came back with three runs in the top of the sixth to once again pull within one. With Hogan and March on base and one out on the board, Timm sent a three-run home run to right center, but Niagara would not get another runner on base before the Vikings closed the inning.
 
After blanking Cleveland State in the bottom of the sixth, Niagara had a chance to draw even in the seventh inning, but the Purple Eagles only got one runner on base and could not find the tying run.
 
The Purple Eagles return to action on Thursday, March 31 with a doubleheader at Binghamton against the Bearcats. Niagara will then travel to Marist and Quinnipiac on April 2 and 3 to open MAAC competition.
 
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