Game 1 vs. Kennesaw State -
Live Stats
Game 2 vs. NC State -
Live Stats -
Live Video
Game 3 vs. Marist -
Live Stats
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara softball team travels to Raleigh, N.C. this weekend to compete in the Homewood Suites by Hilton RDU/RTP Challenge, hosted by North Carolina State. The Purple Eagles have two games scheduled on Friday, March 23, playing Kennesaw State (10:00 a.m.) and North Carolina State (2:30 p.m.) before playing MAAC foe Marist at 10:00 a.m. on March 24. Niagara will play an additional game on both March 24 and March 25 with opponents to be determined based on play earlier in the weekend.
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Last Time Out/On the Field: Niagara Purple Eagles (3-6)
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- The Purple Eagles are coming off a weekend that featured a matchup against Florida International in Miami on March 8. From March 6-7, the team also competed in the Under Armour Showcase, highlighted by an 8-6 victory over Penn to open tournament play. Â
- In NU's matchup against Penn, Kendall Watkins and Heather Haberman delivered home runs for Niagara and each collected three RBIs in the win.
- Jennifer Szilagyi started the game and gave the Purple Eagles five strong innings on the mound before Emily Johnston recorded three hitless innings to keep Niagara in the lead.
- The Purple Eagles also faced South Dakota State and Western Michigan in the tournament.
On the Field: Kennesaw State Owls (18-10)
- Earlier this month, the Owls won 10 straight games before falling to University of South Carolina - Upstate on March 17, 1-0. Most recently the Owls split a doubleheader with Liberty on March 21.
- Catcher/first baseman Patricia Awald leads the team in multiple offensive categories, including batting average (.463), runs (25), home runs (six), RBIs (23) and walks (11).
- Outfielder Olivia Tamewitz is hitting .409 this season and has a team-best 36 hits and seven doubles.
- Redshirt-sophomore Alley Cutting and redshirt-senior Abigail Green each have nine starts for Kennesaw State this season, both holding a 6-4 win-loss record. Cutting leads the team with a 1.23 ERA and has a team-best seven complete games and 62.2 innings pitched, while Green leads the team in strikeouts with 59.
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On the Field: North Carolina State Wolfpack (15-11)
- NC State is coming off a three-game series against Georgia Tech last weekend and were shutout in two of the three games.
- Infielder Chandley Garner leads the team in batting average (.317), home runs (five) and RBIs (19) in 25 games played this season. Garner is tied for second on the team in hits with 20, trailing only catcher/infielder Cheyenne Balzer (22).
- Outfielder Jade Caraway leads the Wolfpack in runs scored (18) and stolen bases (seven).
- On the mound, Devin Wallace (9-5) has been the workhorse for the Wolfpack this season. Wallace, who has a team-best 19 starts and 14 appearances, also leads the team in innings pitched (99.0) and strikeouts (75).
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On the Field: Marist Red Foxes (8-15)
- The Red Foxes are on a five-game skid after their play in the Reveille Classic on the campus of Texas A&M last weekend, dropping matchups against the University of Connecticut, Michigan State and the Aggies.
- Infielder/outfielder Ali Malam leads the team in batting average (.403), home runs (three), RBIs (17), total bases (39) and slugging percentage (.629).
- Infielder Caroline Baratta leads the team in at bats (79), runs (13), hits (29) and triples (two).
- Megan Beiermeister is tied for the team lead with 11 appearances in the circle, including co-leading in starts with seven. Beiermeister (4-3) also leads the team in ERA (1.76), batting average (.222), innings pitched (47.2), strikeouts (35) and complete games (five).
Up Next
- Niagara travels to Ohio next weekend for a pair of non-conference doubleheaders. The Purple Eagles battle the Akron Zips on March 27 and the Cleveland State Vikings on March 28, with first pitch at 3:00 p.m. on both days.
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