Siena softball traveled west for its first road conference action of the 2019 season, earning a doubleheader split with MAAC foes in Niagara University, NY Saturday afternoon. The Saints fell in a 4-3 back-and-forth affair in game one, before outlasting the Purple Eagles, 7-6 to conclude action on the day.

Game One – Niagara 4, Siena 3

Entering the weekend on a three game winning streak, Siena (8-14, 2-2) fell into a 3-0 hole to start the day, with the home team getting on the board immediately with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the first. The two teams then had just four combined base runners over the following two-and-a-half innings before the Purple Eagled tacked on a pair in the home half of the fourth, thanks to a pair of RBI singles.

The Saints would respond in the top of fifth inning with a three-run rally of historic proportions to tie the contest momentarily, with senior Madysen Cossack leading the way. Stepping up to bat with one out and runners on second and third, the captain doubled to right field to send freshman Yamila Evans and sophomore Neysa Ouellette in to score. The two-bagger was Cossack's 52nd in her storied Siena career, giving her the all-time program record over Shannon Jones. After Niagara pitcher Sierra Bertrand recorded her second of what would be three strikeouts in the frame, senior Loryn DeFalco knotted the game at three with an RBI single to right field that sent home pinch runner Jess Vollmer.

With the Saints two-thirds of the way through the fifth defensively, Niagara right fielder Maria Gabriele cemented the win for the Purple Eagles, sending in second baseman Kendall Watkins all the way from first base with an RBI double. With Bertrand (2-8) using nine strikeouts over 5.1 innings in the circle to take home the win, reliever Jennifer Szilagyi worked the Purple Eagles defensively through the final 1.2 innings to earn her second save of the season. Junior pitcher Brooke Hughes (2-6) took a complete game loss in the affair, walking three batters and adding four strikeouts to her rising season total.

Game Two – Siena 7, Niagara 6

Looking to end the say on a high note, the Saints began a big-bat led second game by putting up a run in the top of the opening frame, as sophomore Isabelle DeChiaro reached base on an error that allowed Evans to score. The bottom of the inning would be met by the first of seven lead changes in the contest, as Niagara (3-20, 2-4) used a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to take a 2-1 lead after one inning. Following a scoreless second frame, Cossack struck again, this time in the form of a two-run shot to center field that played her and Evan gave the lead back to the Saints in the form of a 3-2 advantage. The Purple Eagles quickly responded however, as Gabriele singled to center in the bottom of the inning to tie it back up at three.

The following two innings provided the chance for the Green and Gold to temporarily break away, with Cossack finishing off a four RBI game and a six RBI afternoon overall with a single to center field that plated Ouellette and junior Amanda Dodson in the top of the fourth. DeChiaro then added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth with her third big fly of the season, making it a 6-3 ballgame in favor of Siena.

 The homerun ball would quickly work against the Saints in the bottom of the next inning, as Gabriele rocketed a three-run homer to left field to tie it back up, this time at six. The hero of game two proved to be Dodson, who scored Patricia Kalesse with a game-winning RBI double in the top of the seventh. After Evans took a two-inning no decision to start the game in the circle and classmate Sarah Dowalo struck out a pair in 3.1 innings, it was Hughes (3-6) who came back in and redeemed herself on the day by earning the win and two more strikeouts in the final 1.2 innings of the day.
 

Following the split, the Saints face a quick turnaround, as they host a non-conference doubleheader at the Siena Softball Field Sunday afternoon. The team will welcome Holy Cross to town for a series for the first time since 2016, with first pitch for each game scheduled for 1 PM and 3 PM, respectively.