NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Niagara softball team was upended twice today as it was swept on the road against Iona.
 
Iona 3, Niagara 1

• With Iona leading 2-0 as the game rolled into the fifth inning, Niagara narrowed the gap as Jennifer Timm led off with a single through the right side. Bella Garone was tapped to pinch run for Timm, and was brought home when Heather Haberman doubled into center.
• Rachel Funk led the Purple Eagles with two hits in three at-bats in game one. As a team, Niagara found six hits and two walks.
• Sierra Bertrand threw a complete game in the effort. The senior southpaw gave up three runs on eight hits and three walks while fanning five.

 
Iona 4, Niagara 2

• Niagara wasted no time in the second game, striking for the first run in the top half of the first inning. Maggie Vesneske led off with a single into right and took second on a sac bunt by Haberman. Jerri Ann Orfano followed by smacking a two-out double into the right-center gap, playing Vesneske.
• Starting in the circle, Jennifer Szilagyi took down the Gaels in order to close out the first inning.
• The fourth inning nearly mirrored the first, as a leadoff home run by Orfano got things rolling for the Purple Eagles, while Szilagyi shut down the Iona bats, 1-2-3, in the bottom half.
• Orfano and Tara Driver both went 2-for-3, with Orfano also tacking on a pair of RBI for Niagara.
• In 4.2 innings, Szilagyi gave up just one earned run (four total) on seven hits and zero walks. She also had two strikeouts. In relief, Karsen Cotton stepped in for 1.1 innings and allowed no baserunners while striking out a pair.

 
On Deck

• The Purple Eagles will travel to Fairfield to close out the weekend with two games against the Stags. Game one will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

 

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