LAKE CHARLES, LA. – Niagara split its two games on Saturday, Feb. 24, defeating North Dakota 5-2 before falling to McNeese 12-3. The Purple Eagles are now 1-3 on the season while North Dakota moves to 3-11 and McNeese improved to 10-4 in 2024.
Game 1 Recap: Niagara 5, North Dakota 2
The Purple Eagles found themselves in an early 1-0 hole against the Fighting Hawks when a two-out single by Mari Peters brought home the first run of the ballgame in the opening frame.
With the bases loaded and one away in the bottom of the second
Kaylee Haines sent a fly ball into right field, allowing
Hailey Cenname, who singled to start the inning, to score from third to tie the game at 1-1.
Brianna Delaney worked a one-out walk in the bottom of the fourth and scored from first on
Selah Moyer's double into left field.
Natasha Limbani singled to left, allowing Moyer to score and with two outs
Lindsay Mayo drove in the third run of the inning to give Niagara a 4-1 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Niagara would get a leadoff home run from Moyer, the first of the freshman's career, for its fifth run of the contest.
North Dakota would add one in the top of the seventh to give the game its 5-2 final.
Maddie Hickingbottom picked up her first win of the season, pitching 6.2 innings, allowing two hits and striking out five.
Maggie Kellner and Moyer each recorded a two-hit game, while Moyer finished with two extra base hits, two runs scored and two driven in.
Game 2 Recap: Niagara 3, McNeese 13 (5.0 inn.)
Mayo would lead off the contest with a single and later come around to score the opening run to give Niagara a 1-0 lead before the Cowgirls came to the plate.
McNeese would push five runs, four of which came on a pair of extra base hits, including a home run, giving the Cowgirls a 5-1 lead after one full frame of action.
After two innings of play, Niagara would find itself in a 6-1 hole, but a two-run third would cut the Purple Eagle deficit in half as Moyer and Limbani each singled home a run.
McNeese would put up six runs in the bottom of the fifth, including the game clinching two-run homer.
Madison LaPenta recorded two hits and scored a run in the loss while Mayo went 1-for-3 with two runs scored.
Sage Jackson got the start in the circle for Niagara, allowing six runs to score on seven hits while punching out a pair.
Niagara Notes
• Moyer finished the day 3-for-6 at the plate with two extra base hits, including the first home run of her career. Her first career homer came in her third career game, the fastest for a Purple Eagle freshman since Kelsey Harrigan homered in her collegiate debut in 2018.
• Moyer became the first Purple Eagle to drive in multiple runs in one game since
Sophia Marrero drove in three in Niagara's 11-0 win over St. Bonaventure on May 4, 2023.
• Hickingbottom allowed two hits, marking the first time the graduate pitcher has surrendered two or less hits in a game since May 4, 2023 at St. Bonaventure.
• Hickingbottom struck out at least five for the 27th time in her Purple Eagle career.
• Mayo scored twice in Niagara's second game of the day, marking her first multi-run game since April 2, 2023 against Quinnipiac.
Up Next
Niagara will travel to Beaumont, Texas to play a Sunday doubleheader against Lamar. Game one is set to begin at 2 p.m.
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