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Box Score 2 JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Erica Colon's (Fairview, N.J./High Tech) strong performance on the mound propelled the Saint Peter's softball team to a swept against Niagara in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader on Saturday.
The Peacocks took the first game of the two-game tilt 4-1 and completed the sweep with a 6-4 victory.
Colon was fantastic in the first game, pitching a complete game with seven strikeouts. She also recorded two hits, two runs scored and one RBI. Candice Koch (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) and Francesca D'Amato (Lyndhurst, N.J./Immaculate Conception) each added one RBI in the opening victory.
Niagara struck first in the opening inning, following a solo homerun from Katelyn Gruarin to give the team a 1-0 edge. It was the only run that Colon and Saint Peter's gave up in the opening contest.
Saint Peter's got on the board in the fifth inning, following a RBI single to center field by Koch that knotted the game at one. The Peacocks offense added three more runs in the sixth inning. Following a leadoff double from Nicole Olmedo (Chino, Calif./Chino), D'Amato hit a RBI double to centerfield for the go-ahead run. D'Amato later scored in the inning following a throwing error to give the Peacocks a 3-1 lead. Colon added the final run with a solo shot to centerfield to secure the 4-1 victory.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Saint Peter's continued its offensive surge in the third inning, scoring four times. Colon doubled to left field, scoring two runs. Later in the inning, Crystal Carlucci (Iselin, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial) hit a single down the left side to advance two more runs around the bases.
The Purple Eagles responded in the fourth inning, scoring a run off a fielder's choice to cut the deficit to three.
Saint Peter's tacked on another run in the fourth following a solo blast from Amber Velasquez (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) to give the Peacocks a 5-1 lead.
Niagara countered in the fifth inning, scoring a run off a RBI double from Bridget Hogan. The Purple Eagles added two more runs in the sixth, fueled by a fielder's choice and a bases loaded walk to cut the lead to one.
Saint Peter's added insurance in the sixth, following a throwing error that allowed Lee Harrison (Las Vegas, Nev./Coronado) to round the bases and secure a 6-4 win.
With the victories, Saint Peter's improves to 6-26 overall and 2-4 overall, keeping the Peacocks in contention for a spot in the playoffs.
The Peacocks return to action tomorrow, as they are set for a conference twinbill against Canisius. Opening pitch is set for 11:00 a.m.
