FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Buoyed by 17 hits over two games, the Niagara softball team rolled to a sweep of Fairfield to land in the thick of the MAAC playoff picture. Kendall Watkins supplied five RBI, while Kelsey Harrigan provided another four.
 
Niagara 4, Fairfield 2

• The Stags took an early 1-0 lead in their half of the first, but Watkins' one-out homer to center field in the top of the second was a quick response that tied the game at 1-1.
• Sierra Bertrand faced the minimum in the bottom of the second after a walk to Fairfield proved fruitless as Rachel Funk and Maggie Vesneske teamed up to catch the runner stealing at second.
• After Niagara's first two batters were set down, Watkins, Jennifer Timm, and Tara Driver each singled in sequence with Watkins scoring on a throwing error by the first baseman on Driver's hit. Harrigan followed with a double to center field, bringing Timm and driver in and putting the Purple Eagles up, 4-1.
• Harrigan and Watkins each totaled two hits in the victory, while Vesneske got aboard three times with two walks and one hit.
• Bertrand threw her second complete game in as many days, allowing just two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks to go along with four strikeouts.

 
Niagara 8, Fairfield 2

• The Purple Eagles went ahead in the top of the third after Jenna Patterson led off with a center field single. Funk moved her to second with a sac bunt before Harrigan swatted a single up the gut and a throwing error allowed Patterson to make it home.
• In the fourth, a leadoff walk by Jerri Ann Orfano kept things moving for the Niagara batters. Pinch running for Orfano, Bella Garone scored after a single, sac, and double. Heather Haberman, who singled Garone to second, also scored on Timm's double.
• With the game separated by one run heading into the seventh, the Purple Eagles upped their lead and provided plenty of cushion with five runs in the top of the frame. Maria Gabriele walked to lead things off, with hits from Orfano and Haberman loading the bases with no outs. Watkins then stepped up to the plate and crushed a grand slam to blow the score open and make it 7-2. Kayla Raymond added the eighth run for the Purple Eagles as a pinch runner when Harrigan doubled to score her from second base.
• Haberman went 3-for-4 from the dish with two runs scored to pace the offense, who managed to rack up 10 hits in the game.
• In the circle, Jennifer Szilagyi threw 3.1 innings, yielding two runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk. In relief, Karsen Cotton hurled 3.2 innings of scoreless ball that saw Fairfield collect just three hits.

 
On Deck

• Niagara will host the Akron Zips in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, April 17. The first game will start at 3 p.m.

 

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