Game One: Live Video | Live Stats
Game Two: Live Video | Live Stats

After a six-game home stand last weekend in which the Purple Eagles softball team picked up conference wins over Iona and Fairfield, Niagara now travels to Akron to take on the Zips. Niagara and Akron will start a doubleheader at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19 at Lee R. Jackson Softball Field.
 
Last Time Out

• Niagara earned a 2-2 record on April 16 and 17 in doubleheaders with the Iona Gaels and Fairfield Stags.
• The Purple Eagles opened the two-game set against Iona with a 4-1 win. Sarah March finished the game 4-for-4 with two RBI's and one run scored, and Jerri Ann Orfano cranked a solo home run.
• Sierra Bertrand pitched 6.1 innings of one-run ball, giving up just two hits to the Gaels while striking out six batters. Bridget Hogan picked up the save.
• March led off the game with a double to left field in the bottom of the first, later scoring on a groundout by Jennifer Szilagyi.
• Iona tied the game in the top of the third, but after striking out the side against the Gaels in the fourth, Niagara claimed a 2-1 lead as March ripped an RBI single up the middle, scoring Sarah Trifoso from second.
• Orfano led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot to right field, and March hit another one-run single up the middle of the Iona defense, pushing Niagara to the 4-1 victory.
• Niagara also picked up a conference win against the defending MAAC champion Fairfield Stags on April 17, winning 2-1 in dramatic fashion.
• The Purple Eagles opened the scoring in the bottom of the second, as Maria Gabriele hammered a double to the left field wall, bringing Hogan home from first base.
• Bertrand took a shutout bid into the top of the seventh, but Fairfield hit a solo home run in the final inning to tie the game.
• Orfano was the first batter up for Niagara in the bottom of the seventh, and she sent her second home run of the weekend to right field off the first pitch, giving Niagara the 2-1 walk-off win.
• Niagara also dropped decisions of 6-1 to Iona and 15-1 to Fairfield.

 
Niagara Notes

• Sierra Bertrand has been one of the top pitchers in the MAAC this season, ranking fourth in the conference in hits allowed per seven innings (6.31) and third in strikeouts per seven innings (6.5) while leading Niagara with a 2.64 ERA, four wins, and 57 total strikeouts.
• With appearances in four of six games last week, Bertrand gave up just eight runs (seven earned) in 19.2 innings in the circle, including just one earned run in her first 18 innings of the weekend.
• With her two home runs last weekend, Orfano became the third Niagara player with as many home runs this season, joining March (three) and Jennifer Timm (two).
• Although she saw limited action last week, March played in four games, batting 6-for-9 with two doubles and two runs batted in.
• March leads the Purple Eagles in batting average (.378), on-base percentage (.400), slugging percentage (.549), total hits (31), and home runs (three), and she is second on the team in RBI's (eight) and runs scored (nine).
• A junior, March also has a perfect fielding percentage with 26 put outs and three assists.

 
Scouting the Zips (23-18-1, 7-5-1 MAC)

• Tuesday's doubleheader is the second meeting between Akron and Niagara this season. The Zips defeated the Purple Eagles 6-0 at the Rebel Spring Games on March 5.
• Akron leads the MAC and ranks 16th nationally with 2.02 stolen bases per game.
• The Zips are second in their conference with a team ERA of 2.19. Pitcher Erin Seiler leads the MAC with an ERA of 1.54 and has pitched seven shutouts, the seventh-best mark in the NCAA.
• Savannah Fruin leads Akron hitters with a .313 batting average, 41 total hits, and nine home runs.

 
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