This weekend, the Purple Eagles softball team takes part in its second of three tournaments to open the 2016 season. After earning a 1-3 record at the Cleveland State Dome Tournament, Niagara turns its attention to the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, FL.

Niagara plays two games on both Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6 and will get to see four different opponents. On Saturday, the Purple Eagles will take on Creighton at 1:30 p.m. followed by the University of Akron at 3:45 p.m. The weekend concludes with matchups against Sacred Heart at 1:30 p.m. and South Dakota State at 3:45 p.m. on Sunday.

Last Time Out

• Niagara picked up its first win of the season with a commanding 4-1 victory over the Bowling Green Falcons on Feb. 13.
• Freshman Sierra Bertrand pitched 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball (zero earned runs) on seven hits while racking up six strikeouts.
• All four Niagara runs came off of home runs. Bertrand and Jennifer Timm scored on solo shots for Niagara before Sarah March capped the scoring with a two-run home run in the fifth inning.
• Sydney Smyers picked up the save to secure the victory for the Purple Eagles.
• Niagara lost its other three games at the Cleveland State Dome Tournament by a total of five runs, as the Purple Eagles were defeated by Cleveland State (6-4) and Morehead State (4-3) on Feb. 12 before dropping a tightly-contested 7-5 game to Robert Morris in the final game of the weekend.
• Five Purple Eagles started all four games at the tournament, and all five hit better than .300 for the weekend: Chanelle Ward, Taylor Moody, Bridget Hogan, Timm, and March.
• Freshman Jennifer Szilagyi led the team with a .500 batting average (4-for-8, double, 2 RBI) in three starts.
• March hit two of Niagara's four home runs on the weekend to lead the team with a .733 slugging percentage.

Bertrand, Szilagyi Earn MAAC Weekly Honors
 

• For their efforts at the Cleveland State Dome Tournament, Sierra Bertrand and Jennifer Szilagyi were named the MAAC Softball Pitcher of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively, on Feb. 16. 
• Bertrand is one of two pitchers in the MAAC and three in the NCAA with a 0.00 ERA in the early part of the softball season. 
• Szilagyi ranks third in the MAAC in both batting average (.500) and on-base percentage (.556).

Niagara Notes

• The Purple Eagles lead the MAAC in home runs per game (1.00; 31st in the NCAA), batting average (.317), and slugging percentage (.450). 
• Smyers ranks sixth in the conference with an ERA of 2.10 as the Purple Eagles rank third in the conference with a team ERA of 2.85.
• March's mark of 0.50 home runs per game leads the conference as well. 

Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and for softball updates, follow @NiagaraSoftball. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook.com/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.