5BALTIMORE, Md. – Niagara (3-6) earned a sweep over Morgan State (9-10) Tuesday afternoon in Baltimore, Md., by the final scores of 9-1 and 2-0.
Game 1 Recap: Niagara 9, Morgan State 1
Maddie Hickingbottom threw five, one-hit innings, before allowing a run on two hits in the final inning, in game one of Tuesday's doubleheader as the Purple Eagle offense struck for nine to earn the win over the Lady Bears.
Niagara jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first with RBI base knocks from
Samantha Hare,
Hailey Cenname, and
Shayna Myshrall.
The Purple and White added two runs in the top of the second as
Lindsay Mayo and Hare hit SAC fly's to push across
Natasha Limbani and
Kaylee Haines for runs four and five of the game for NU.
Myshrall would drive in her second run of the game on a one-out single in the third, allowing
Brianna Delaney to score all the way from first.
The Purple Eagles would add three insurance runs in the top half of the sixth as
Selah Moyer double home a pair before coming around to score on a Cenname single.
Hickingbottom would allow two hits and a run in the bottom of the sixth but would get the final out to end the game in six innings.
Niagara Notes
• Niagara set a season-high in runs, hits, doubles, and triples in the contest.
• Four Purple Eagles recorded a multi-hit game, including Delaney who finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate.
• Niagara had four players record multiple RBIs in the win, including Moyer who now leads the team with six.
• Niagara finished with five extra-base hits including triples from Delaney and Limbani, and doubles from Hare, Kellner and Moyer.
• Hickingbottom struck out four.
Game 2 Recap: Niagara 2, Morgan State 0
Niagara and Morgan State would stay deadlocked at 0-0 through five innings before Cenname doubled home the first run of the game in the top of the sixth. Moyer would then push home her sophomore teammate later in the inning to give the game its 2-0 final.
Cara Leone got the start in the circle for Niagara, pitching six scoreless innings while striking out three and allowing four hits.
The graduate student was relieved by
Julia Thompson in the seventh. Thompson would set down the Lady Bears in order to record her first save of the season.
Niagara Notes
• Leone allowed four hits in 6.0 innings of work, her fewest hits allowed in a start lasting over 4.0 innings since allowing three hits in 5.0 innings at Siena on April 28, 2023. The Williamsville, N.Y., native struck out four batters for the first time since April 30, 2022.
• Moyer has hit safely in three-straight games after collecting a hit in each game of the doubleheader. She has also drive in a run in four of her seven games played.
• Cenname recorded her second double of the season in the contest.
• Thompson now has five saves in her career, which ties her for third most in program history.
Up Next
Niagara will travel to Jersey City, N.J., for a pair of non-conference games against Saint Peter's on Wednesday, March 13. Game one of the two game set is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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