RENO, NV. – For the first time in program history, the Purple Eagles softball team headed to the University of Nevada to take on the Wolf Pack. Against a Nevada team that currently ranks as the best in the Mountain West Conference, Niagara turned in a strong showing in all three games, but fell by scores of 4-3, 4-3, and 2-0 Friday afternoon at Hixson Park.
 
Brianna Clark hit 3-for-8 in the series, hitting the first home run of her collegiate career and finishing with two total runs scored and three runs batted in. Chanelle Ward hit .500 in the tripleheader, going 4-for-8 from the plate. Jennifer Szilagyi hit 2-for-9 with a double and two runs scored.
 
Game One: Nevada 4, Niagara 3
 
The Purple Eagles and Wolf Pack went into the seventh inning of Friday's first game tied at three runs apiece. Niagara got two runners on base in the top of the seventh, but Nevada held the tie before hitting a walk-off RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the final inning. Bridget Hogan pitched the complete game for Niagara, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out four batters.
 
After surrendering a run to Nevada in the first inning, the Purple Eagles came back in the second with two runs of their own. Szilagyi and Taylor Moody opened the inning with consecutive singles to start things out, and both advanced one base as Maria Gabriele grounded out to third. That set the stage for Victoria Bretz, who singled through the right side and brought both runners home to give Niagara a 2-1 lead.
 
The Wolf Pack tacked on two runs in the bottom of the third, but Niagara wasted no time coming back in the top of the fourth inning. After Nevada got the first two batters in the Niagara order out, Clark came up to the plate and sent a solo home run to left field, making it 3-3.
 
Both teams would be held scoreless from that point until Nevada scored the winning run in the seventh inning. The Wolf Pack's Raquel Martinez singled and stole second before scoring home for the winning run on an RBI single from teammate Aaliyah Gibson.
 
Game Two: Nevada 4, Niagara 3
 
Nevada started the second game of the day with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning and extended the lead to 4-0 with a solo home run in the fifth, but Niagara made a strong comeback attempt late. The Purple Eagles scored three runs in the seventh inning, but came up just short in the end. Sydney Smyers pitched the complete game, giving up four runs on seven hits while striking out three.
 
Down 4-0 heading into the seventh inning, Niagara hit the comeback trail and nearly tied the game late to put the pressure on Nevada. Ward opened the final inning with a single to center field, and that was followed up by a double down the left field line from Szilagyi. With runners on second and third and two outs on the board, Clark came up to the plate and matched Szilagyi's effort, slamming another double down the left field line to bring two batters home and cut the deficit to 4-2.
 
With Clark on second, Jerri Ann Orfano followed up with another RBI hit, sending a single deep to right field as Clark made it home. Nevada got the third out on the next at-bat, as Sarah Trifoso pinch ran for Orfano and was picked off trying to steal second, ending the game.
 
Game Three: Nevada 2, Niagara 0
 
Niagara and Nevada were originally scheduled to play the third game of the weekend series on Saturday, however the game was moved back to Friday due to a rainy forecast. The Purple Eagles earned seven hits in Friday's final game but failed to score in a 2-0 loss. Sierra Bertrand struck out seven batters in the circle, giving up two runs on eight hits over a complete game.
 
After each team picked up two hits and no runs through three innings, Niagara nearly took the 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth, but Ward was thrown out following a single to center field from Clark. Nevada came up to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning and the Wolf Pack's Kwynn Warner hit a two-out double to left center, scoring runners from second and third to make it 2-0 Nevada after four.
 
Erika Siegel and Bertrand hit singles in the fifth inning to get runners on base, but Nevada's defense held up to keep Niagara off the board. The Purple Eagles then had the bases loaded with Hogan, Clark, and Szilagyi on base with two outs in the top of the sixth, but again Nevada held the score at 2-0. Niagara failed to get a runner on base in the top of the seventh, and Nevada took its third win of the day.
 
The Purple Eagles come home next week to open up their 2016 home schedule. Niagara hosts St. Bonaventure for a doubleheader at 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 14 before welcoming Iona and Fairfield for doubleheaders on April 16 and 17, respectively.
 
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