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| NIAGARA UNIVERSITY SOFTBALL |
| WEEK ONE |
Outrigger Resorts Hawai'i Spring Fling Tournament |
| DATES |
March 7-10 |
| OPPONENTS |
Saint Bonaventure, California, Hawai'i, Utah |
| LOCATION |
Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium – Manoa, HI |
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The Niagara University softball team is finally ready to open its 2019 season during a nine-day stint in the Hawai'ian islands. The Purple Eagles will participate in seven games over the next four days as part of the Outrigger Resorts Hawai'i Spring Fling Tournament.
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Niagara Notes (0-0, 0-0 MAAC)
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Scouting The Bonnies (0-4, 0-0 A-10)
- Saint Bonaventure is coming off an 0-4 opening weekend in Norfolk, Virginia. In four games against Mount St. Mary's, CCSU, Hampton, and Norfolk State, the Bonnies were outscored by a combined 28-12.
- Grace Perchinsky and Alexandra Piergustavo came away from Norfolk State with the team's highest batting averages, with both players collecting five hits in 12 at-bats (.417). Piergustavo also knocked in one-third of all of Saint Bonaventure's runs in Norfolk (four) and holds a .667 slugging percentage.
- Ally Haskell got a pair of starts and tossed 9.1 innings while in Virginia. After the weekend, her ERA sat at 6.00 while she fanned four batters over two games.
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Scouting The Golden Bears (11-7, 0-0 Pac-12)
- Cal was victim of imperfect weather this past weekend while playing at a tournament put on by UC Santa Barbara. On March 1, the Golden Bears were beaten twice in run-rule-shortened, five-inning games, first 11-3 by Bowling Green, then 11-0 by the hosts. Games against LIU Brooklyn and UCSB for the following day were cancelled.
- Lindsay Rood's .466 batting average paces the Golden Bears offense. In 65 at-bats, Rood has amassed 29 hits, 21 runs scored, nine RBI and two home runs while striking out just three times.
- Kamalan Dung is one of two pitchers on staff to have thrown at least 20 innings (53.2). In 11 appearances and seven starts, Dung has held opposing hitters to a .183 batting average and racked up 62 strikeouts (10.49 K/7).
- This will be the first time Cal and Niagara meet on the softball field.
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Scouting The Rainbow Wahine (12-4, 0-0 Big West)
- Benefactors of generally beautiful weather in the state, the Rainbow Wahine have only left Hawai'i once since the softball season began, and have hosted two tournaments in the first three weekends of the year. Most recently, the squad went 4-2 during the Hawai'i Invitational, a four-day event that saw them go 3-0 against Canisius, 1-1 against New Mexico, and 0-1 against DePaul. On home turf, Hawai'i boasts a 9-3 record so far this season.
- Leading the Rainbow Wahine at the dish is Nicole Lopez, whose .455 batting average tops the team. Her 23 runs scored are also a team high, while her five home runs and 13 RBI are both second to Callee Heen.
- Brittany Hitchcock has started nine games in the circle for Hawai'i this year, most on the pitching staff. She has five complete games to her name and has a 2.89 ERA to go along with 33 strikeouts.
- This will be the second time ever that the Purple Eagles and Rainbow Wahine square off on the diamond. Last time the teams met was in the 1998 NCAA Tournament, with Hawai'i emerging victorious.
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Scouting The Utes (7-12, 0-0 Pac-12)
- Utah comes to Hawai'i following an appearance at the Grand Canyon Tournament on March 1-2. The Utes were swept by Iowa State and Grand Canyon on the tournament's first day, but bounced back to take down Northern Colorado and South Dakota to close out play.
- The Utah offense is led by sophomore Julia Noskin, who boasts a .371 batting average and a team-best 23 hits. Alyssa Barrera's 12 RBI are the most on the roster.
- Sydney Sandez has pitched nearly half of the team's innings (54.0) so far this season. She has put together an ERA of 3.50 and spun 15 strikeouts, second only to Hailey Hilburn's 16.
- This will be the first-ever meeting between Utah and Niagara.
