YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Niagara softball team won the opening game of their doubleheader, 9-4, over Youngstown State before the Penguins came back to earn the split with a 3-2 win in game two.

Game 1: Niagara 9, Youngstown State 4

After a scoreless first inning, Niagara (10-23) struck first in the top of the second when Jerri Ann Orfano's leadoff single wound up bringing her home after Rachel Funk was walked, Taylor Moody was hit by a pitch and Sarah Trifoso plated Orfano with a single into center field. The Penguins leveled the score in the bottom half of the frame, but Niagara regained the lead in their next turn at bat.

Kelsey Harrigan and Kelsey Watkins opened up with back-to-back singles and were advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Heather Haberman. Orfano brought Harrigan and Watkins in with a double into right, and made it home herself after singles by Jennifer Timm and Rachel Funk.

In the fourth inning, the Purple Eagles continued to pour on the offense. After Trifoso and Watkins earned walks, Orfano's third hit of the game brought Trifoso around to make the score 6-1 Niagara. Haberman – who reached on a fielder's choice – then cruised home after Margaret Vesneske earned a walk with the bases loaded.

After Youngstown State narrowed the gap with a three-run sixth, Niagara put the game out of reach in the top half of the seventh. Leadoff batter Moody reached first on an error by the first baseman and was advanced by a sacrifice bunt off Trifoso's bat. Harrigan then pushed Moody to third after her hit to third was misplayed. Watkins singled to the shortstop to load the bases, as Moody was held at third but Harrigan made it safely to second. The next batter, Haberman, shot a single up the middle to put the Penguins on their heels. Moody scored on the hit, and was followed closely by Harrigan, who made it home due to a fielding error on the center fielder. Orfano knocked in yet another RBI to make it 9-4 with a fielder's choice to score Watkins.

Orfano led the team from the batter's box, going 4-for-5 with four RBI and scoring twice. Timm (2-4) and Trifoso (2-2, BB) also had multi-hit games for Niagara.
Sierra Bertrand (5-8) got the start for Niagara and went five innings while allowing just one run on five hits and striking out two Penguins batters. Jennifer Szilagyi closed out the game strong, holding the lead and allowing three runs on just two hits.

Game 2: Youngstown State 3, Niagara 2

After two leadoff walks to the Purple Eagles offense left the runners stranded in the top of the first, the Penguins came out and scored two runs on four hits in the bottom half of the inning.

The Penguins' lead jumped to 3-0 with another run in the second, but Niagara found itself on the scoreboard in the top of the third. Watkins led the inning off with a single into center field, but found her way home after Timm's hit into left led to an error on the fielder.

After quiet innings offensively for both teams in the fourth and fifth, the Purple Eagles made it a one-run game in the top of the sixth when Vesneske scored Orfano after Orfano led off with a double into right on an 0-2 count. Unfortunately, the comeback fell short after a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh.

Karsen Cotton (3-8) opened the game in the circle for the Purple Eagles, but went 3.2 innings and gave up three runs on nine hits despite striking out five Youngstown State batters. Emily Johnston finished the game for Niagara, allowing no runs and just one hit and matching Cotton's strikeout total with five.
 
Up Next

The Purple Eagles' scheduled doubleheader with Canisius on Sunday has been postponed, so the next game for Niagara will take place at Syracuse against the Orange. The doubleheader is set to begin at 3 p.m.
 
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