NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Purple Eagles softball team picked up another conference win Sunday afternoon in a split with the Monmouth Hawks. After a 10-3 loss in the first game of the afternoon, Niagara held the Monmouth offense in check in game two, earning a 2-1 victory at Niagara Softball Field.
 
Chanelle Ward (3-for-6) and Bridget Hogan (2-for-4, 1 RBI) finished the afternoon with .500 batting percentages for Niagara (10-32, 8-8 MAAC). Jennifer Szilagyi was 2-for-5 at the plate, and Sarah March went 2-for-7 with a team-high two runs batted in.
 
Monmouth 10, Niagara 3
 
The Hawks, who were swept by Canisius on April 30, came into the doubleheader at Niagara looking for their first win of the weekend. A five-run sixth inning pushed Monmouth (25-18, 12-6 MAAC) to a 10-3 win over Niagara in game one. Hogan started in the circle for Niagara, giving up five runs on five hits while striking out two in 3.1 innings of work. She was relieved by Sydney Smyers, who gave up another five runs (three earned) on six hits, picking up three strikeouts in the process.
 
The bats were active early in the day on Sunday, as Monmouth took a 3-2 lead after the first inning. Ward scored the first run of the day before Niagara as Maria Gabriele picked up the RBI on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded. Szilagyi came to the plate on the next at-bat and singled down the left field line, bringing Jerri Ann Orfano home.
 
The Purple Eagles knotted the game at three runs apiece in the bottom of the second. With March and Ward on base, Hogan slammed a single up the middle of the Monmouth defense to bring March home from second base. The Hawks would pull away, however, picking up two runs in the top of the fourth for a 5-3 lead before securing the victory by extending their lead to 10-3 in the top of the sixth.
 
Niagara 2, Monmouth 1
 
The Purple Eagles received another standout performance from Sierra Bertrand in the circle to take a 2-1 win and earn the split with Monmouth. Bertrand struck out eight batters, her fourth game this season with as many strikeouts, while giving up one run on six hits.
 
Monmouth and Niagara combined for just one hit in the first two innings as Bertrand and Hawks pitcher Amanda Riley controlled the pace of the game. Niagara would seize a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third, however. After Bertrand doubled to center field and Sarah Trifoso got on base with a walk, March scored both runners with a long double to left center off of Riley.
 
Bertrand, who shut out Canisius in a 2-0 Niagara win earlier this week on April 26, carried another shutout bid into the sixth inning against Monmouth, but it was spoiled when the Hawks' Justene Reyes hit a home run deep over the center field wall to lead off the top of the sixth. From that point on, however, the Niagara defense held strong and picked up, allowing one hit and two walks, but no runs would score as the Purple Eagles picked up at least one win in seven consecutive doubleheaders in MAAC play.
 
Niagara wraps up an eight-game home stand on Tuesday afternoon with its final non-conference doubleheader of the season. The University at Buffalo Bulls travel north to play the Purple Eagles in Niagara's last two home games of the regular season. First pitch at Niagara Softball Field is set for 3 p.m.
 
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