The Niagara softball team opens its 2017 regular-season slate on Saturday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 11 at the Cleveland State Dome Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio. The Purple Eagles are coming off of a 2016 season where the team contended for a top-six spot and a berth in the MAAC Softball Championship, but ended the regular season in eighth place with an 8-12 record in conference play.
At the Cleveland State Dome Tournament, Niagara will begin with games against Bowling Green (1 p.m.) and Robert Morris (6 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 10. The next day, the Purple Eagles will take on the host Cleveland State Vikings at 10:30 a.m. before a rematch with Robert Morris at 3:30 p.m.
Following the Cleveland State Dome Tournament, Niagara returns to game action March 6-12 with a series of seven games in Florida. The Purple Eagles will play doubleheaders against St. Bonaventure and Bucknell, along with single games against South Dakota State, Western Michigan, and Providence. The following weekend, Niagara will participate in the Buff & Blue Challenge at George Washington University, with three games against the host Colonials and two against the University at Albany. Niagara closes the month of March with road doubleheaders at Syracuse (March 22) and Cleveland State (March 30). The Purple Eagles’ MAAC schedule begins with road doubleheaders at Iona and Fairfield on Apr. 1 and 2, respectively. Niagara then opens its home slate Apr. 5 against the Youngstown State Penguins, followed by home doubleheaders versus Saint Peter’s (Apr. 8) and Manhattan (Apr. 9). Niagara closes its home schedule with doubleheaders lined up against Akron (Apr. 26), Quinnipiac (Apr. 29), Marist (Apr. 30), and Siena (May 6).
Niagara was voted ninth in the 2017 Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 42 points. Marist, Monmouth, Fairfield, Canisius, Manhattan, and Quinnipiac were voted as the preseason top six and favorites to advance to the MAAC Championships. Niagara went 4-8 against those teams last season, with wins over Canisius, Fairfield, Manhattan, and Monmouth. Just seven points separated seventh and ninth place, as Iona (49 points) finished seventh ahead of Siena (48) and Niagara (42). Rider was voted tenth with 24 points in the preseason poll, followed by Saint Peter’s at 14 points.
This is the third straight season that Niagara will be participating in the Cleveland State Dome Tournament. The Purple Eagles earned a 4-1 win over Bowling Green in last year’s tournament, while dropping close decisions to Cleveland State (6-4) and Robert Morris (7-5). Bowling Green finished the 2016 season at 18-36 (6-17 MAC). Robert Morris went 10-6 in the NEC and 23-33 overall, while Cleveland State finished 21-32 overall and 12-12 in the Horizon League. Sarah March went 5-for-15 at the plate with two home runs and three RBIs in last season’s Cleveland State Dome Tournament. Bridget Hogan, Taylor Moody, and Chanelle Ward all picked up six hits in the four-game tournament schedule. Jennifer Szilagyi tallied a team-high .500 batting average with a double and two RBIs in three games to earn MAAC Rookie of the Week honors.
Sierra Bertrand led Niagara to its win over Bowling Green, giving up one run (zero earned) and six strikeouts while allowing seven hits, and she was named MAAC Pitcher of the Week for her performance in the victory.
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