In a win-or-go-home matchup between Marist softball and Niagara, MAAC Co-Pitchers of the Year Kiley Myers and Maddie Hickingbottom took the circle looking to keep their teams alive.
Three Niagara home runs, including two from senior outfielder Samantha Hare, and a nearly untouchable Hickingbottom doomed Marist in a season-ending 10-4 defeat. After an excellent regular season, the Red Foxes entered the MAAC tournament as the favorite to repeat as conference champions, yet were sent packing after two games.
On day one of the MAAC Championships, the Red Foxes lost to Canisius 5-1 while the Purple Eagles lost their first matchup 3-2 to Siena before thrashing Iona 12-3.
The opening day results led to today’s elimination game between the top two seeds in the tournament, with Niagara now set to face Canisius in a second straight elimination game.
Through the first two innings, the bats were quiet. Then, the bat of Hare exploded for a three-run round-tripper. Hare’s blast to right-center scored Niagara’s batting average leaders, junior utility Lindsay Mayo and freshman infielder Selah Moyer, who had both previously reached via singles.
The Purple Eagles carried a 3-0 lead through four innings as Hickingbottom cruised through each at-bat, allowing just a hit and a walk along with two strikeouts.
Once again, Niagara added to their lead with the long ball in the top of the fifth. After Hare doubled in her second at-bat, freshman infielder Brianna Delaney continued her tear against Marist.
During the regular season series between Niagara and Marist, Delaney homered in all three games. That streak continued as the freshman went the opposite way, extending the lead to 5-0.
Myers’ second home run allowed resulted in her being pulled for freshman pitcher Anna Sidlowski.
The pitching change did not stop Niagara from tacking on more runs. Sophomore infielder Hailey Cenname led off the sixth inning with a walk and it snowballed after that, with the Purple Eagles scoring five runs without recording an out to go up 10-0
The top of the Marist order finally got to Hickingbottom in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore outfielder Peyton Pusey singled and senior infielder Miah McDonald doubled to start the inning. Redshirt sophomore infielder Haley Ahr brought them both in via the long ball, homering to center field to close the gap to 10-3.
Hickingbottom was then relieved by Julia Thompson, who has served as the Purple Eagles closer the entire year. Thompson induced two quick groundouts before two Red Foxes reached safely, but junior infielder Maddie Gore was frozen by Thompson, striking out looking to end the inning and Marist’s hopes to come back.
Head coach Joe Ausanio allowed senior utility Alyssa Grupp and graduate student Sophia Recrosio to have their moment in the seventh inning.
To finish their softball careers, Grupp and Recrosio were substituted out of the game during the seventh but not before the team huddled around the two and embraced their coaches exiting the field.
McDonald added an RBI double in the seventh inning but, fittingly, the game’s RBI leader Hare recorded the final out of the game. The 10-4 Niagara victory sets the Purple Eagles up to face Canisius in another elimination game this afternoon.
Edited by Luke Sassa
Photo from Luke Sassa
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