April 14, 2011
Contact: Brian McCann
NIAGARA, N.Y. - Theresa Healy had four hits and six RBI, including three in each game, to lead Niagara to a sweep of a doubleheader from Cleveland State on Thursday afternoon, winning 4-0 in the first game and 5-4 in the nightcap.
After winning a season-best five games in a row, CSU has dropped six of the last eight games to slip to 19-16 on the season while Niagara improved to 15-11.
"Our struggles at the plate continue," CSU head coach Angie Nicholson said. "I didn't think that we were very aggressive at the plate today, especially when we had runners on base, and that prevented us from stringing together multiple hits to score runs like we are used to."
The Viking offense struggled in the first game, recording just five hits.
Healy went two for three in the opener, doubling home the first run of the game in the third inning and then capping off a three-run fifth with a two-run double to right center.
CSU had two good scoring opportunities in the game, but line drive double plays extinguished both. In the fourth, Tess Sito led off with a double to left center to snap a streak of nine straight batters retired by Niagara starter Kim Bryson. Sito however was doubled off when Jessica Burt followed with a line drive to third that Kayla Hines speared and quickly threw to second.
With one out in the sixth, Sito and Burt stroked back-to-back singles to put two runners on, but the rally died when Gabby Gillilan hit a line drive to second, catching Burt off first base for the final out.
"We could not have hit the ball any harder on both of those plays," Nicholson said. "Jessica hit what should have been at least a double, but it was right at the fielder at third. One foot either way and it goes through.
"On Gabby's hit, the fielder lays out into the hole at second and makes an unbelievable catch. What should have been a run scoring single turns into a double play. It just wasn't our day," Nicholson added.
Bryson (7-4) was the winner for Niagara, striking out seven without a walk in seven innings while Sito (16-13) gave up four runs (three earned) on 10 hits with 11 strikeouts to get the loss.
The Vikings staked the Purple Eagles to a 4-0 lead after one inning in the nightcap. Niagara recorded three consecutive hits off CSU starter Brittany Bate, including a three-run home run by Healy, before Sito relieved her and gave up a solo home run to Becky Zill to cap off the inning.
CSU rallied in the third, scoring three runs to pull to within 4-3. Sito opened the scoring with a two-out double to score Amy Powell, who had singled. Burt followed with a single to score Sito, going to second when Gillilan was hit by a pitch and coming around to score on a single by Dara Toman. Nagy walked to load the bases but the Vikings could not score the equalizer as Caila Ferro grounded out to end the inning.
Niagara added a run in the bottom of the third on an infield single by Zill, making it 5-3.
The Vikings added a run in the fifth Nagy stroked a two out double to right center and Ferro followed with an RBI single to make it a 5-4 game.
CSU had a chance to tie the game in the seventh when Toman hit a two-out double to right. Nagy hit a grounder to third that was misplayed for an error, putting runners on the corners, but Ferro grounded out to short to end the rally.
Bate (1-2) was the loser while Sito allowed two runs on six hits in six innings of relief. Julie DiMatteo was the winner for Niagara, fiving up four runs on nine hits in five innings, giving way to Bri Allen, who pitched two innings of scoreless relief to pick up the save.
Sito led the Vikings offensively with four hits in the twinbill to extend her current hitting streak to a team-best seven games. She is now hitting .356 for the season. Toman, Burt and Nagy added two hits each for CSU.
The Vikings will return home to Viking Field to play a three-game series with Loyola over the weekend, starting with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday (April 16), weather permitting.
