NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Niagara (23-18, 14-6 MAAC) and Rider (22-24, 13-7 MAAC) split Friday's doubleheader with the Purple Eagles earning a walk-off 1-0 win in game one and the Broncs topping Niagara 4-1 in the night cap.
How it Happened
Game 1: Niagara 1, Rider 0
After allowing a one-out single in the first,
Maddie Hickingbottom set down the next five batters she faced, including via strikeout.
The Broncs would get a leadoff double in the third and after a pair of two-out walks had the bases loaded for their cleanup hitter, however, Hickingbottom forced the groundout to end the innings and get out of the jam.
Maggie Kellner would get into scoring position in the bottom of the third and fifth, but fail to come across to score as Niagara was 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position through five innings.
Hickingbottom would set the Broncs down in order in the fifth and sixth innings and despite allowing a leadoff base hit in the seventh, kept the game tied at 0-0 as Niagara came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh.
Hailey Cenname would leadoff the bottom of the seventh with a single, putting the game-winning run on base for Niagara.
Hannah Mingle would pinch run for Cenname and later advance to second as
Selah Moyer was plunked. Kellner would then move both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, bringing
Lindsay Mayo to the plate with one out and the game winning run 60 feet away.
Mayo would lift a fly ball into left center, allowing Mingle to score from third and give Niagara a 1-0 victory.
Niagara Notes
• Hickingbottom became the third Purple Eagle in program history to record 400 strikeouts and first since Sierra Bertrand (2016-19).
• The win was Hickingbottom's 12th of the season, tying Julia DiMatteo's 2009 mark for fourth-most in a season. Her 20 wins as a Purple Eagle are two behind Lauren Huk (1997-00) 22 wins for fifth most all-time.
• Cenname recorded her eighth multi-hit game of the season.
• Mayo's game-winning SAC fly gives her 16 RBI on the season.
Game 2: Rider 4, Niagara 1
Rider would score a pair of runs off Niagara starter
Cara Leone in each of the first two innings of play, taking an early 4-0 lead over the Purple Eagles.
Niagara had multiple chances to get a run on the board through the first six innings of play, including getting runners on second and third in both the bottom halves of the first and third innings, however, the Purple and White were 0-for-3 at the plate in those situations, and 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position for the game.
The Purple Eagles would get on the board in the seventh when Moyer launched a solo home run over the right field wall to open the frame, for their lone run of the contest.
Niagara Notes
• Moyer's home run is her second of the season and first since Feb. 24. Moyer finished the game 3-for-3, her third three-hit ballgame of the season.
• Cenname went 1-for-4 and has a hit in each of the last three games.
•
Julia Thompson made her 23rd appearance out of the pen this season and 12th without allowing a run.
Up Next
Niagara and Rider will play the rubber game of its three-game set on Saturday, April 27 at noon. The Purple and White will honor its Senior Class prior to first pitch.
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