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Box Score 2 JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Niagara swept a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) softball doubleheader on Sunday. Despite the Peacocks facing the run rule in both games and getting the tying run to the plate in both games, the Purple Eagles earned a 9-5 win and an 11-8 decision on the afternoon.
Alyssa Cuevas (Sylmar, Calif./Bishop Alemany) paced Saint Peter's (0-33, 0-10 MAAC) with four hits, three RBIs and three runs scored, including smacking her first collegiate homer. Stacey Klempel (Winter Garden, Fla./Ocoee) added three hits, two runs scored and two RBIs while Samantha Storms (Lake Geneva, Wisc./William Bay) posted two hits and a run scored in the nightcap.
In the opener trailing 9-4 going into the final inning, Klempel tripled to center field with one out before Jackie Riley (South Amboy, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) plated Klempel on an RBI single through the left side with two outs. Storms and Lee Harrison (Las Vegas, Nev./Coronado) followed with a pair of singles to load the bases to bring the tying run to the plate, but a strikeout ended the game. Saint Peter's trailed 9-1 going into the bottom of the fifth before scoring the final four runs of the contest.
Trailing 11-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Peacocks send 12 batters to the plate and scored seven runs to make it an 11-8 game. Crystal Carlucci (Iselin, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial) got the rally started with a single to left field before Cuevas smacked an opposite field two-run homer for her first collegiate round tripper. Kirsten Kelley (Seaford, N.Y./General Douglas McArthur) followed with a solo shot of her own to center for her first career homer. Nicole Feoli (Burlington, N.J./Burlington Township) doubled to right center and Klempel singled while an error on the play scored Feoli and sent Klempel to third. Candice Koch (Oreland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) singled up the middle to plate Klempel. After Koch moved to second on a wild pitch, Storms put runners on the corners on a single through the left side. Harrison walked to load the bases before Carlucci plated a run on a grounder and Cuevas brought the seventh run of the inning home on an error. With runners at first and second and the tying run at the plate just like the opening game a strikeout ended the game. The Jersey City team was down 8-0 going into the bottom of the fifth before scoring eight of the final 11 runs of the nightcap.
Chanelle Ward powered Niagara (7-29, 5-5 MAAC) with five hits, four RBIs and two runs scored. Jerri Ann Orfano posted five hits, four RBIs and two runs scored and Taylor Moody registered five hits, three runs scored and two RBIs on the afternoon.
The Purple Eagles jumped out to a 9-1 lead through four innings en route to a 9-5 victory in the opener.
Brianna Clark started the scoring in the second with a two-run single to center before Sarah March smacked a two-run homer to left for a 4-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Harrison walked, stole second, moved to third on Carlucci's single through the left side and scored on Cuevas' opposite field double to cut the margin to 4-1.
Niagara added a run in the third to restore a four-run lead thanks to an RBI groundout by Clark.
A four-run fourth increased the Purple Eagles lead to 9-1. Orfano doubled home a run, Maria Gabriele plated a run on a groundout and Moody smacked a two-run homer to center to cap the stanza.
Down to their final three outs if they do not score, the Peacocks scored a run in the fifth. Cuevas doubled down the right field line and moved to third on Feoli's bunt base hit and touched home on Klempel's sacrifice fly to center to cut the margin to 9-2.
Saint Peter's added two runs in the sixth after Storms and Harrison each reached on singles and came around to score on a two-run double by Carlucci to make it a five-run game. The Peacocks then scored a run in the seventh and brought the tying run to the plate, but Niagara held on for the win.
Just like the opener, the Purple Eagles jumped out to the early lead and then had to hold on for the win.
Bridget Hogan opened the scoring with an RBI double before Orfano smacked a two-run homer to center field in the first for a 3-0 lead.
A Ward sacrifice fly and an Orfano RBI double gave Niagara a 5-0 margin after two innings before a Victoria Bretz sacrifice fly and a Ward two-run double in the third make it an eight-run margin for the visitors.
Just like in the opener Cuevas led off the fifth with the Jersey City team needing a run to extend the game to the sixth inning. The freshman singled up the middle and moved to third on an error and just like the opener came home on a hit off the bat of Klempel when she smacked a double to right field to cut the margin to 9-1.
The Purple Eagles got RBIs by Ward, Clark and Gabriele in the seventh to extend the Niagara lead to 11-1 only to see Saint Peter's score seven runs and send the tying run to the plate. The Purple Eagles ended the game on a strikeout.
Tiffani Lambert (Lincroft, N.J./Middletown South) and Riley took the losses on the mound for the Jersey City team.
Saint Peter's returns to action on Tuesday at Rider. Game time is 2:30 p.m.
