TAMPA, FLA – The Purple Eagles fell to Lehigh, 8-0, and South Florida, 7-1, Wednesday in non-conference softball action from Tampa, Fla.
Game 1 Recap: vs. Lehigh, L, 8-0 (5 innings)
• Lehigh scored two in the bottom of the first inning to get out to an early lead over Niagara.
• After taking a three-run lead in the third, then broke the game open with four in the fourth.
• The Fighting Hawks added one in the fifth, to make it an 8-0 game.
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Samantha Hare went 2-for-2 at the plate, followed by
Maggie Vesneske and
Bayleigh McCullough who went 1-for-2.
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Maddie Hickingbottom pitched 4.0 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits, and striking out four.
Julia Thompson came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth for Niagara.
Game 2 Recap: at South Florida, L, 1-7
• A three-run third inning from USF put Niagara in a 4-0 hole heading into the top half of the fourth inning.
• Niagara would be dispatched in the top of the fourth and the Bulls would add three more in the bottom half to take a 7-0 lead.
• Niagara scored its first run in the top half of the fifth inning on a Vesneske single that drove in McCullough.
• That was all the Purple Eagles could muster against the Bulls, as USF took the game, 7-1.
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Cara Leone got the start for NU, going 2.1 before being relieved by Thompson in the third.
• Thompson was replaced by
Emma Collee to start the fifth inning. Collee pitched 1.0 inning, dispatching all three batters she faced.
Niagara Notes
• The Purple Eagles return to Western New York with a 4-7 record, picking up wins over Western Michigan, Merrimack, and Lafayette.
• After the first 11 games of competition,
Maggie Kellner leads Niagara with a .400 average, going 14-for-35 at the plate. Half of her hits have gone for extra bases as she collected seven doubles while in Florida.
• Hare hit three home runs during the 11 games in Florida, picking up nine RBI. Harrigan also drove in nine, followed by Kellner and
Shayna Myshrall with six apiece.
• Freshman
Bayleigh McCullough drew a team-best five walks in 11 games and also scored three runs.
• Niagara used a total five pitchers, with
Cara Leone and
Maddie Hickingbottom pitching 22.2 a piece.
Riley Crum pitched 14.0 innings and only allowed four runs.
Up Next
• Niagara will take on St. Bonaventure in Olean, N.Y., on March 30. The doubleheader between the Purple Eagles and Bonnies is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start with game two following approximately 30-minutes after the conclusion of game one.
