Saturday, April 1 at Iona: Live Stats (Game 1) | Live Stats (Game 2)
Sunday, April 2 at Fairfield: Live Stats

After 12 days off from game action, the Purple Eagles softball team opens MAAC competition this weekend with a pair of road doubleheaders against the Iona Gaels and Fairfield Stags. The Purple Eagles take on Iona on April 1 at 1 p.m. and Fairfield on April 2 at 12 p.m. Last season, Niagara went 2-2 against the Gaels and Stags in four games at Niagara Softball Field.
 
Niagara's doubleheader with Cleveland State, initially scheduled for Thursday at 3 p.m., has been postponed due to rainy conditions and is tentatively rescheduled to Tuesday, May 2 for a 2 p.m. first pitch.
 
Last Time Out

• The Purple Eagles played five games at the Capital Invitational hosted by George Washington University from March 17-19.
• In two games against the host Colonials on the opening day, the two teams went to extra innings with the host George Washington winning both games by scores of 5-4 and 4-2.
• George Washington took a third win over Niagara by a score of 11-6 on March 18. The Purple Eagles also played the Penn State Nittany Lions twice, losing 13-4 and 7-1 decisions.
• Junior Sarah Trifoso led Niagara at the plate batting .600 (9-for-15) on the weekend with a team-high two doubles.
• Trifoso went 2-for-3 with a double in the 4-2 loss to George Washington on March 17 and was 3-for-4 with an RBI double in a loss to Penn State on March 18.
• Sarah March and Jerri Ann Orfano had one home run each, and March led Niagara with four runs scored on the weekend.
• In the circle, Jennifer Szilagyi maintained a 3.50 ERA through 12 innings of work, while Sierra Bertrand had a 4.45 ERA in the tournament with a team-best 13 strikeouts in 11 innings.

 
On the Field: Niagara Purple Eagles (7-9, 0-0 MAAC)

• The Niagara softball team is 7-9 for the first time since 2014. The team's 7-4 start prior to the Capital Invitational two weeks ago was the team's best 11-game start since 2009.
• Niagara has two of the MAAC's top 10 leaders in batting average. Bridget Hogan leads the Purple Eagles and ranks eighth in the conference batting .358 (19-for-53) this season.
• Sophomore Jerri Ann Orfano is batting .357 (15-for-42) this year ranking tenth in the MAAC. Orfano also leads the Purple Eagles with a .400 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage.
• Sarah March (16-for-53, .302) and Sarah Trifoso (12-for-40, .300) also have a .300 or better batting average for the Purple Eagles.
• Hogan leads Niagara with four doubles and nine RBI this season, while March has a team-high 10 runs scored.
• Niagara's pitching, powered by sophomores Sierra Bertrand and Jennifer Szilagyi, has been a strength all season as the Purple Eagles rank fourth in the MAAC with a team ERA of 3.64.
• After recording a 6.77 ERA in eight appearances last season, Szilagyi leads Niagara and ranks second in the MAAC with a 2.44 ERA in her sophomore campaign. She is 3-2 in 10 appearances (six starts) in the circle and is holding opponents to a .296 batting average.
• Bertrand ranks sixth in the MAAC with a 2.86 ERA and is also fifth with an average of 6.55 strikeouts per seven innings.

 
On the Field: Iona Gaels (10-12, 0-0 MAAC)

• Niagara opens MAAC play at Iona in the first two conference games for both teams.
• The Purple Eagles are 5-5 in their last 10 games against Iona. In last season's doubleheader at Niagara Softball Field, the Purple Eagles were victorious 4-1 in the first game before Iona picked up the split with a 6-1 win to close the day.
• Kristen Turner leads the Gaels with a .397 batting average (29-for-74) this season. Turner leads the team with six doubles and is tied with Tori Danner with a team-high 22 RBI.
• Danner leads Iona with seven home runs this season, followed by Turner at five.
• Alana Evans is 5-4 in the circle for Iona, and she has a 5.76 ERA along with 67 strikeouts in 12 games (nine starts). Marnie Skinner is 3-5 with a 5.36 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 11 games (seven starts).

 
On the Field: Fairfield Stags (7-16, 0-0 MAAC)

• The Purple Eagles wrap up the weekend trip at Fairfield, which is slated for a doubleheader against Canisius on Saturday while Niagara plays Iona.
• The Stags enter the weekend 3-2 in their last five games, going 1-1 this week with a 7-1 loss at Providence on Wednesday and a 2-1 win at Sacred Heart on Thursday.
• The Purple Eagles have recorded a 1-1 record against the Stags each of the last two season. The two teams split last season's doubleheader at Niagara Softball Field as the Purple Eagles opened the day with a 2-1 win on Apr. 17, 2016 before Fairfield responded with a 15-1 win in the second game.
• Amanda Ulzheimer leads Fairfield at the plate with a .424 batting average and 28 total hits. Lacey Olaff (.385), Tori Reed (.347), and Alisha Marshall (.316) are also batting .300 or better.
• Reed leads the Stags with four home runs and 18 RBI this season.
• In the circle the Stags are led by Destinee Pallotto, who has a 5-5 record with a 4.36 ERA, 27 strikeouts, and two shutouts in 10 games (nine starts).

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