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Currently on a three-game winning streak, the Purple Eagles softball team now begins an eight-game home stand with its annual Battle of the Bridge doubleheader against the Canisius Golden Griffins. Niagara and Canisius are set for first pitch at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26.
 
Last Time Out

• Niagara picked up three wins in four conference games last weekend, splitting a twinbill at Manhattan against the Jaspers on April 23 before sweeping Saint Peter's on April 24.
• After a 4-1 loss to start at Manhattan, Niagara rallied back to take a 5-3 win in game two.
• Trailing 3-2 in the top of the sixth, Niagara scored three runs to secure the win, tying the game as Sarah March was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
• Niagara scored the winning runs on the very next at-bat, as Chanelle Ward drove a two-run single to right field, and Niagara held that 5-3 lead the rest of the game.
• The Purple Eagles' bats were swinging in full force during a sweep at Saint Peter's. Niagara tied its season-high for runs in a game in a 9-5 win before besting that mark with an 11-8 win in game two.
• Niagara opened the first game at Saint Peter's with a four-run second inning. Brianna Clark opened with a two-run single before March homered to left field in the next at-bat.
• Jerri Ann Orfano kicked off a four-run fourth inning with an RBI double to left center, advancing to third as the play progressed, and scoring on the next play. Taylor Moody capped the inning with a two-run homer to center field.
• Bridget Hogan threw 12 strikeouts in the circle, picking up her first win of the season.
• Niagara got off to a strong start early in game two as well, going out to an 8-0 lead after three innings and taking an 11-1 lead into the seventh before Saint Peter's came back.
• Ward picked up four RBI's in the win, including two on a double to left center in the third inning.
• Orfano hit 3-for-4 with another 3 RBI's with a home run and a double, while Hogan went 2-for-3, including the first triple by a Purple Eagle this season.
• Sydney Smyers picked up the win in the circle, tossing six strikeouts and finishing the week with a 2-1 record.
   

Battle of the Bridge

• The Battle of the Bridge is the annual all-sports competition between Niagara University and Canisius College.
• Niagara picked up two points in the series over the weekend at the MAAC Golf Championships, as the Purple Eagles men finished seventh and the Golden Griffins finished eighth.
• Canisius currently holds a lead in the competition 19.5 to 6.5 this season.

 
Niagara Notes

• In her last 10 games, Sarah March has hit .500 (14-for-28) and leads the team with a .576 on-base percentage, .768 slugging percentage, and four doubles in that time.
• March's .386 hitting percentage this season is the fourth-best mark in the MAAC.
• March leads the team in most offensive categories: hitting percentage (.386), on-base percentage (.426), slugging percentage (.574), total hits (39), home runs (four), and doubles (seven).
• Jerri Ann Orfano has made significant contributions at the plate for the Purple Eagles over the last two weeks.
• Orfano hit 3-for-32 in her first 15 appearances of the season. In 12 games over the last two weeks, however, she hit 10-for-32 and leads the team with three home runs and seven RBI's in that time, good for a .313 hitting percentage and .688 slugging percentage.
• Pitcher Sierra Bertrand remains among the best pitchers in the MAAC with 6.4 strikeouts per seven innings. She picked up seven strikeouts in nine innings to bring her Niagara-best mark to 64 strikeouts this season.

 
Scouting the Golden Griffins (15-27, 6-4 MAAC)

• The doubleheader at Niagara marks the end of a seven-game road trip for Canisius, who currently has a 3-2 record in that stretch.
• Like Niagara, Canisius swept Saint Peter's last weekend and earned a split against Manhattan.
• The Griffs are led by Lindsey Silfer, who is hitting .422 (54-for-128) this season. Silfer leads Canisius with 35 RBI's, eight home runs, eight doubles, and 21 runs scored.
• In the circle, Erika Mackie leads Canisius with a 7-11 record, adding a 3.51 ERA, 55 total strikeouts, and a .296 batting average against. She is followed by Lauren Castro (2-5, 4.99) and Madi Weathers (5-7, 5.15).

 
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