A matchup between Marist softball and Niagara University, two of the best statistical MAAC conference offenses, resulted in a gritty Friday afternoon doubleheader split.
Niagara (11-12, 3-2 MAAC) took game one 7-5 and Marist (22-9, 4-1 MAAC) responded with a 3-2 victory in game two.
“Everyone’s gonna play tough [against us]. We seem to bring out the best in them. After the first game [Niagara] was hooting and hollering… hopefully it lights a fire under [the team]. I was happy we came out and scored in the first inning [of game two], that’s a testament to a good team,” said Marist head coach Joe Ausanio.
An abundance of runs were expected between the Red Foxes and the Purple Eagles, in Niagara County, NY. Yet, for most of the day, the opposite reigned true.
A pitching duel commenced during game one between two veterans in the circle. Through the first two innings, graduate student pitcher Kiley Myers and graduate student pitcher Maddie Hickingbottom did not allow a hit.
Hickingbottom induced soft contact and three early punchouts while Myers fell behind in counts, resulting in a first-inning mound visit from Ausanio.
Myers labored through lengthy at-bats, remaining unscathed early. In the third inning, she found herself in a no-out bases-loaded jam.
Niagara’s freshman third baseman Brianna Delaney took advantage, singling over the head of freshman outfielder Anna Sidlowski to give the Purple Eagles a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Red Foxes immediately responded. Redshirt sophomore Haley Ahr turned on an inside pitch, sending it over the fence for a game-tying home run and her fifth of the season.
“Haley [Ahr] has been clutch all year, even last year. It’s almost like she’s picked up where she’s left off. It’s kind of exciting to be runners in scoring position and seeing Miah [McDonald], Maddie [Pleasants] and Haley [Ahr] coming up to the plate. It’s a really good thing for a coach to watch,” said Ausanio.
Following Ahr’s blast, two balls snuck underneath the gloves of Niagara’s defense, adding another run for Marist. Senior utility Alyssa Grupp advanced to third base on a throwing error by freshman infielder Natasha Lambini and a stolen base.
Grupp scored on a squeeze bunt from Sidlowski, giving Marist their first lead of the game 3-2.
In the fifth Delaney found herself in another big spot with runners on and no one out. This time, Myers got the best of her but it would not be the last matchup between the two. Sophomore designated hitter Sophia Marrero picked her teammate up, lacing a single to right field.
The single brought in junior utility Lindsay Mayo from second, knotting the game up at three through five innings.
Myers faced more trouble in the bottom of the sixth after the first two Purple Eagles reached safely. She forced two quick groundouts and senior catcher Maggie Kellner shot another fly ball into the blustery wind toward Sidlowski.
Sidlowski struggled to track the ball; stumbling and letting the ball drop near the warning track as two Purple Eagles crossed the plate.
Following the Kellner at-bat, Delaney and Myers faced off for a final time. Delaney took the final round, homering and breaking the game open at 7-3.
Two scorching singles from junior utility Maddie Pleasants and Ahr closed the gap to 7-5. Graduate student Julia Thompson, tasked with recording one out, found herself in an eight-pitch battle with Grupp.
Grupp singled to load the bases but sophomore catcher Isabella Manory popped up to third, ending the game. The 7-5 Purple Eagle victory featured nine Hickingbottom strikeouts, four RBIs from Delaney and three Ahr RBIs in the Niagara victory.
Senior infielder Miah McDonald kicked off the second game with a single down the center, progressing to third base after two wild pitches from graduate student pitcher Cara Leone.
A diving catch from senior Samantha Hare robbed Pleasants of an extra-base hit but scored McDonald on the sacrifice fly. Pleasant’s 20th RBI of the season gave Marist an early 1-0 lead.
Delaney stayed hot, one-hopping the fence for an RBI double to score Mayo from first. Her fifth RBI of the day tied the game at 1-1 in the third.
After Niagara evened the score, Hickingbottom came on in relief for the Purple Eagles following her 120-pitch game-one outing. With runners on first and second, Grupp let out a roar after giving Marist the lead back with an RBI single to score Sidlowski.
Ahr added an RBI in the sixth following a McDonald opposite-field triple, extending the lead to 3-1.
In the bottom half of the sixth, Delaney continued to mash with a no-doubt solo shot, cutting the lead back to one.
Sidlowski entered the day with a 2.17 ERA and pitched all seven innings with little cushion. The freshman caught Mayo looking for her fifth strikeout of the game, earning her 10th win of the season in the 3-2 Marist victory.
“We were resilient all day. We don’t misplay a couple of fly balls, we come away with the sweep today,” said Ausanio. “I’m pretty pleased with the effort.”
The first pitch of the rubber match between the Red Foxes and Purple Eagles is scheduled for March 30 at noon.
Edited by Cara Lacey
Graphic by Cara Lacey; Photo from Marist Athletics
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