NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Due to weather, this week's home doubleheader with Syracuse, originally scheduled for Wednesday, April 27, is now a single game road contest slated for 6 p.m. Thursday at Skytop Softball Stadium.
Last Time Out
• The Purple Eagles went 1-3 during their MAAC softball road trip this past weekend.
• Niagara split its doubleheader with Iona on Saturday before getting swept by Fairfield on Sunday.
Niagara Notes
• The Purple Eagles are 12-19 overall and 6-6 in league play this season.
• Currently, the Purple and White are scoring 3.4 runs per game while batting .228 as a team.
• In the circle, Niagara has a team ERA of 4.19 and are allowing opposing hitters to hit .275.
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Maggie Kellner leads NU with a .320 batting average with 31 hits in 97 at bats. The sophomore back stop has 12 doubles and currently ranks 10
th in the NCAA and first in the MAAC with 0.39 double per game.
• Graduate student and starting center fielder
Kelsey Harrigan has a team-best on base percentage of .411. The lefty is second in the MAAC with 0.58 walks per game, trailing only Destiny Falquez of Canisius.
• Harrigan is also second on the team with eight doubles and third with 12 RBI.
• Sophomore
Samantha Hare leads the Purple and White with an OPS of .850, four home runs and 23 RBI. The right fielder is second on the team with a .300 average, collecting 27 hits in 90 at bats.
• Harrigan, along with Maddie Vesneske have combined to score 42 runs this season. Vesneske is Niagara's stolen base leader with 12.
• In the circle,
Riley Crum comes into Wednesday with a team-best 2.62 ERA allowing 19 earned runs over 50.2 innings of work. At the plate, Crum is 12-for-68 and is tied for second on the team with 15 walks.
• Transfer
Maddie Hickingbottom has pitched 69.2 innings during her first season on Monteagle Ridge, striking out 87 batters. She posted a season-high 14 K's in her complete game shutout against YSU.
• As a team, Niagara has five shutouts this season, third most in the MAAC.
• Out of the bullpen,
Julia Thompson is sporting a 2.72 ERA on the year and a 0.53 ERA in league play.
•
Cara Leone has made 13 appearances in relief to go with three starts. The UB transfer currently a 4.27 ERA and a 1-3 record.
Series History
• The Purple Eagles and Orange have 19 times since the 2005 season, with Cuse winning 18 of the meetings.
• Wednesday will mark the first meeting between the two schools since 2019.
Up Next
• The Purple Eagles will host Saint Peter's and Manhattan this weekend for a pair of MAAC softball doubleheaders.
