EMMITSBURG, MD. – Niagara (27-19, 16-7 MAAC) defeated Mount St. Mary's (14-32, 6-17) 9-3 to clinch the first-round bye and the No. 2 seed in the MAAC Softball Championship, the programs highest seeding since 2008.
How it Happened
The Purple Eagles pushed across a total of four runs in the top of the first, including two off the bat of
Hailey Cenname on a double to left center. Marrero also had an RBI in the inning and Cenname came around to score on a wild pitch to put Niagara ahead early.
Maddie Hickingbottom found herself in a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the first but would get the final two batters of the frame to get out of the inning with the 4-0 lead intact.
Hickingbottom would keep Mount St. Mary's off the board until the bottom of the third when The Mount scored twice, both of which were unearned for the right-hander.
The Purple and White would tally five runs in the fifth, including three on a three-run bomb off the bat of
Brianna Delaney. Cenname collected her third RBi of the contest in the inning to make it a 9-2 game.
Cara Leone relieved Hickingbottom in the circle with two outs in the fifth, pitching 1.1 innings of scorless relief before handing the ball off to
Julia Thompson in the seventh. Thompson would allow one run in the final inning before closing the door on The Mount.
Niagara Notes
• Niagara's 16 league wins is a program record.
• The Purple Eagles' 27 wins is tied for second-most all-time, matching the programs 2008 mark.
• Hare recorded a season-high three hits while scoring two runs. The Kenmore, N.Y., native has 10 multi-hit games this season.
• Marrero and Cenname finished with two hits apiece.
• Delaney's home run was her seventh of the season, tying
Shayna Myshrall for the team lead.
• Delaney's three RBI gives her a team-high 29 on the season.
• Cenname recorded her second game of the season with three RBI.
• Hickingbottom recorded win No. 15 on the season, matching Julia DiMatteo's single-season record set in 2010.
• Hickingbottom also reached the career 500 innings pitched and 500 strikeout mark against Mount St. Mary's.
• Hickingbottom's 165 strikeouts this season is the third most in a season by a Purple Eagle.
Up Next
Niagara will play its first game of the MAAC Softball Championship on Thursday, May 9. The MAAC Softball Championship will be held in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
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