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Niagara University Athletics

jennifer timm sb
1
Saint Peter's SPU 7-42, 1-14 MAAC
8
Winner Niagara NIA 9-27, 6-7 MAAC
Saint Peter's SPU
7-42, 1-14 MAAC
1
Final
8
Niagara NIA
9-27, 6-7 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Saint Peter's SPU 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 2
Niagara NIA 0 2 3 0 2 1 X 8 11 2

W: Szilagyi, Jennifer (3-5) L: Taylor Lewis (1-1)

0
Saint Peter's SPU 7-43, 1-15 MAAC
8
Winner Niagara NIA 10-27, 7-7 MAAC
Saint Peter's SPU
7-43, 1-15 MAAC
0
Final
8
Niagara NIA
10-27, 7-7 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Saint Peter's SPU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Niagara NIA 0 6 0 0 0 2 8 9 0

W: Bertrand, Sierra (4-12) L: Barbara Verrastro (3-14)

Game Recap: Softball |

Big Bats, Dominant Defense Help Purple Eagles Crush Saint Peter’s

 
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Firing on all cylinders, the Niagara softball team handled affairs against Saint Peter's to open its weekend with two big wins. The Purple Eagles' pitching staff allowed seven total baserunners on the day, while the offense racked up 20 hits.
 
Niagara 8, Saint Peter's 1
  • In the top of the second, it was the Peacocks that struck first with a solo home run that bounced off the top of the fence in center field and over. From that point on, however, the Purple Eagles defense shut down the Peacocks, allowing just one runner to safely reach second base over the following 11 innings.
  • In the bottom of the second, Jerri Ann Orfano responded with a solo shot of her own to lead off the inning. Kendall Watkins singled and stole second before scoring when Jennifer Timm poked a ball through the right side to put Niagara up, 2-1.
  • In the third, the Purple Eagles' first two batters were sat down before five straight batters got aboard safely. Orfano singled up the middle, an error put Heather Haberman on after her, and Watkins singled again to load the bases. Rachel Funk brought all three of them home with a double to deep left field to make it 5-1 by inning's end.
  • A 1-2-3 fourth by Jennifer Szilagyi was punctuated with a strikeout to retire the side.
  • The fifth inning saw Niagara continue to build upon its lead when Haberman hit a home run of her own with one away. Watkins followed with a double, then took third on a throwing error by the left fielder on a fly ball. Timm's single into left field allowed Watkins to cross the plate for the third time.
  • Leading 7-1 entering the sixth, Kelsey Harrigan singled, got second on a passed ball, then took third when Maria Gabriele moved her over on a groundout. A second passed ball allowed Harrigan to scoot home for the team's eighth run of the contest.
  • Szilagyi went 6.0 full innings before the Purple Eagles brought Emily Johnston in to close out the game. Szilagyi gave up just three hits and a walk while striking out five and limiting the Peacocks to one run. Johnston faced four batters in the seventh, fanning two while yielding a single hit.
  • As a team, the Purple Eagles got 11 hits with Watkins going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Orfano also reached base thrice, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a walk.
 
Niagara 8, Saint Peter's 0
  • Starting pitcher Sierra Bertrand struck out the side in the first and got two more batters to whiff in the second to retire each of the Peacocks' first six batters in order.
  • In Niagara's half of the second, the offense erupted for its best inning of the season. It started when Watkins led off with a walk and Funk got on via a fielder's choice that saw Watkins reach second safely. Timm advanced each of them one base on a sac bunt before Jenna Patterson singled into right to get Watkins home and put the Purple Eagles on top, 1-0.
  • Maggie Vesneske followed Patterson aboard with a single that came to rest right on top of the first base foul line mere inches from the batter's box. The Saint Peter's catcher assumed the ball would roll foul, but by the time she chose to play it, the speedy Vesneske had already made it to the bag to load the bases.
  • Harrigan swatted a single into right that moved all three runners up one base, scoring Funk. The musical chairs continued when Haberman chopped a grounder to the shortstop, who fired the ball home in an attempt to force out Patterson. The catcher dropped the ball, however, and Patterson crossed in time to make it a 3-0 game.
  • After Saint Peter's recorded their second out of the inning, Orfano ripped one through the right side to get Maria Gabriele to third and score Haberman and Harrigan.
  • Still in the second, Watkins came up to bat for the second time in the inning, drawing a walk to load the bases yet again. Funk followed with a walk of her own, this one scoring Gabriele to make it 6-0 before the Peacocks finally got off the field.
  • Bertrand and the defense put Saint Peter's down in order in the fourth and fifth innings to quell any chance at closing the gap.
  • Niagara ended the game in the sixth when Gabriele smoked a double into center field, scoring Harrigan and Vesneske to make it an eight-run game.
  • Bertrand threw 5.0 frames with zero hits allowed. The sole baserunner the lefty let on came via walk. She also had five strikeouts against 16 total batters. Johnston nabbed one strikeout in 1.0 innings of relief while yielding only one hit.
  • Three of Niagara's nine hits came off the bat of Harrigan, who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Patterson also finished with multiple hits, notching one run and one RBI while going 2-for-3.
 
On Deck
  • Niagara defends home turf again tomorrow morning against the Manhattan Jaspers. First pitch for game one will be at 11 a.m.
 

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