NIAGARA UNIVERSITY SOFTBALL
GAME 13	Niagara Purple Eagles (1-12, 0-0 MAAC) at Syracuse Orange (10-18, 2-4 ACC)
DATE | TIME	Wednesday, March 27 | 4 PM (DH)
LOCATION	Skytop Softball Stadium – Syracuse, NY
LIVE VIDEO	Watch ESPN
LIVE STATS	Sidearm Stats

 
Following two weekends of play in the Hawai'ian islands, the Niagara softball team returns to the Empire State to take on in-state rival Syracuse.
 
Matchup Preview

• The Purple Eagles and Orange have played every year since 2014, with all matchups being played in Central New York.
• Last season, the Orange took both games in their doubleheader with the Purple Eagles. Maggie Vesneske made her mark by smacking her first collegiate home run – a two-out grand slam – in the top of the first inning in the opening game.
• Niagara earned its first victory over the Orange on April 18, 2017 in the first game of its doubleheader.
• These will be the 20th and 21st all-time meetings between the two schools. Syracuse leads the all-time series, 18-1.

 
Niagara Notes

• In Niagara's most recent outings, the team went 1-5 at the Rainbow Wahine Classic hosted by the University of Hawai'i. The Purple Eagles battled against No. 4 Alabama twice, dropped two close games with the Rainbow Wahine, and split with SIUE, picking up the season's first win on March 15.
• Freshman Tara Driver leads the team at the plate through the first 13 games. Her .269 batting average is the best on the squad, as are her four extra base hits and her .538 slugging percentage. Her four RBI are second only to Jerri Orfano (six).
• As a team, Niagara is a perfect 2-for-2 when stealing this season. Both Kendall Watkins and Madison Rastello have each successfully nabbed a base.
• Sierra Bertrand's 5.34 ERA leads qualifying pitchers, while closer Emily Johnston has posted a 0.82 ERA in 11.0 innings of relief pitching. Bertrand has mowed down 26 opposing batters this season, while Johnston is keeping batters to a combined .175 batting average.

 
Scouting The Orange

• Syracuse
• Alicia Hansen's .300 batting average rates highest among all qualifying Orange players. This season, Hansen has started all 28 games so far, notching 24 hits in 80 at-bats with 12 RBI and seven walks. She is also the team's best base-stealer, having gone 11-for-13 so far this season.
• Toni Martin is Syracuse's best power hitter. Accounting for 13 extra base hits – including a team-high four home runs – Martin has been able to accumulate a slugging percentage of .618 and on-base percentage of .388.
• Alexa Romero and Sophie Dandola have thrown nearly equal time for Syracuse this season, with just 2.0 innings separating them. Romero has a team-best 3.54 ERA through 63.1 innings, while Dandola has walked just 29 batters in 65.1 frames.

 
 
Stay connected with Niagara Softball on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Follow Niagara Athletics all year long on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and purpleeagles.com.