NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Purple Eagles softball team was defeated by Marist, 5-3, and NC State, 9-7, on the second day of the Homewood Suites by Hilton RDU/RTP Challenge on Saturday.
Game 1: Marist 5, Niagara 3
- Marist (10-16) took the first lead of the game, 1-0, in the top of the first inning.
- In the top of the third, with two runners on base, Jerri Ann Orfano hit a three-run homerun to put Niagara (5-17) in the lead, 3-1.
- The Red Foxes tied things up, 3-3, in the fourth and added two more runs in the fifth to earn the 5-3 victory.
- Jennifer Timm led the Purple Eagles with two hits and Orfano had a team-high three RBIs.
- Jennifer Szilagyi (0-5) threw a complete game in the circle, striking out three batters in 6.0 inning pitched.
Game 2: NC State 9, Niagara 7
- NC State (18-12) took a 5-0 lead through the first three innings of play.
- Niagara got on the board in the fourth inning. Margaret Vesneske singled through the left side, scoring Orfano. Rachel Funk reach base on an error by the Wolfpack’s second baseman and Timm scored. An RBI single from Kelsey Harrigan to close out the top of the inning put NU down by only two runs, 5-3.
- NC State added two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-3 lead.
- In the top of the fifth, scores from Orfano and Timm once again put the Purple Eagles down by only two runs, 7-5.
- The Wolfpack scored once in the fifth and once in the sixth to extend their lead, 9-5.
- In the top of the seventh, Niagara added on two more runs but it was not enough to overcome NC State’s lead.
- Timm and Vesneske led Niagara with a team-high three hits each.
- Vesneske led the team in RBIs with two and Timm and Orfano each had two runs scored.
- In the circle, Karsen Cotton (2-5) pitched a complete game. She struck out two batters.
Up Next
- The Purple Eagles will play their final game of the tournament against Marist on Sunday, March 25 at 12:15 p.m.