NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Niagara opened the home portion of its schedule on Friday, March 29 with the first two games of a three-game series with defending MAAC Champion and preseason favorite Marist. The Purple Eagles took game one by the final score of 7-5, followed by a 3-2 loss to the Red Foxes in the second game of the twin bill.
Niagara is now 10-12 overall and 3-2 in MAAC play, while Marist moves to 22-9 overall and 4-1 in league action.
How it Happened
Game 1: Niagara 7, Marist 5
Niagara and Marist would go into the bottom of the third locked at 0-0 as Hickingbottom retired the nine of 11 batters faced through three innings before the Niagara offense broke through in the bottom of the third.
Samantha Hare singled to get things started for NU in the third and she would later come around to score on a
Brianna Delaney bases-loaded two-RBI single to left as
Madison LaPenta, who walked, also came across on the play to give Niagara a 2-0 lead.
The Red Foxes responded with three runs in the top of the fourth, two coming on a two-run home run off the bat of Haley Ahr.
Niagara would tie the game in the bottom of the fifth when
Sophia Marrero singled to center to bring home
Lindsay Mayo from second.
The score would remain tied heading into the bottom of sixth as Hickingbottom struck out the final two batters of the top half after the go-ahead run got into scoring position at second.
The Purple Eagles would strike for four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Highlighted by a two-run blast off the bat of Delaney that gave Niagara a 7-3 lead heading into the seventh.
Hickingbottom would start the inning for NU, however,
Julia Thompson would have to come in for the one out save as Marist pushed two across and the tying run at the plate.
Niagara Notes
• Niagara earned its first win over Marist since April 2, 2022.
• Hare recorded a multi-hit game in her first game back from injury. The senior outfielder last played on March 14 at UMBC.
• Mayo registered her 10th muti-hit game of the season.
• Delaney hit her second home run of her freshman campaign while driving in a season-high four.
• Kellner finish the game 1-for-4 at the plate with two RBI, her second multi-RBI game of the season.
• Hickingbottom struck out a season-high nine batters.
Game 2: Niagara 2, Marist 3
Marist would get to Niagara starter
Cara Leone in the first inning, with a sacrifice fly scoring the games opening run. Leone would then settle in striking out three batters over the next 2.0 innings and keeping the Purple and White within one.
Niagara would tie the game in the bottom of the third when Delaney hit a single through the left side and into left to allow Mayo, who walked to lead off the inning, to come around and score.
The Red Foxes would break the tie in the next half inning as a leadoff walk and back-to-back singles turned into a 2-1 lead for the Red Foxes.
Marist would add a third run in the top of the sixth with a sacrifice fly, putting Niagara down a pair with just six outs remaining.
Niagara would get one run back in the bottom half of the sixth when Delaney hit her second home run of the day to make it a 3-2 game heading into the final inning.
Thompson would work around a leadoff single in the top half of the seventh to keep the score where it was heading into the bottom half.
With two outs and Niagara down to its final strike,
Shayna Myshrall, who came in as a pinch hitter for Niagara, singled through the left side to put the tying run on base for NU, however, Mayo would go down looking in the very next at bat to end the ballgame.
Niagara Notes
• Delaney went 3-for-3 in the second game of the doubleheader, with a home run, two RBI and a run scored. The freshman third baseman has recorded multiple hits in each of the last three games.
• Mayo recorded a hit and a walk, extending her on-base streak to 10 games.
• Marrero now has a seven-game hit streak.
Up Next
Niagara and Marist will play the rubber game of the three-game set on Saturday, March 30. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. on ESPN+.
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