FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University softball team swept Niagara on Saturday, Mar. 29, claiming 5-3 and 12-3 victories in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series at Pioneer Park. The 12-3 win came in walk-off fashion in six innings, as Nicole Henke blasted a grand slam to ice the run-rule victory. 

Team Records:
Sacred Heart (13-13, 3-2 MAAC)
Niagara (2-14, 0-2 MAAC)

Game 1: SHU 5, Niagara 3
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 6 strikeouts, 5-7 record)
Sage Jackson (NIA) - (L, 5.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 3 strikeouts, 2-4 record)
Aubrey Tamayo (NIA) - (1.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs)

Top Performers:
Savannah Moore – 1-4, 2 RBIs, 1 double
Nicole Henke – 1-2, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 double, 1 walk

Of Note:
The Purple Eagles broke onto the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning with a pair of runs. A double and a single to start the frame set Niagara up nicely, but Sam Kowalski worked out of the jam and limited the damage to two runs. 

Kowalski was nearly unhittable after that, as she didn't allow another hit until the top of the fifth. 

On the other hand, SHU's offense came alive in the bottom of the second with four runs. A walk, single, and error loaded the bases before Nicole Henke worked an RBI walk to plate the Pios' first run. A fielder's choice brought in SHU's next run before Savannah Moore plated a pair on a double to left center. 

The Pioneers added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 5-2 game. A Henke leadoff double was enough to grow the lead. 

The Purple Eagles took a run back in the top of the fifth but would not get any closer than two, 5-3. 1-2-3 sixth and seventh innings propelled Kowalski to her fifth win of the season. 

Kowalski finished the game with six strikeouts over 7.0 innings, improving her record to 5-7 on the year. 

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Game 2: SHU 12, Niagara 3 (6 Inn.) 
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) - (W, 4.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 2 strikeouts, 4-5 record)
Carah Sweet (SHU) - (2.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs)
Jenna Martin (NIA) - (W, 2.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 0-3 record)
Aubrey Tamayo (NIA) - (3.2 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 1 strikeout) 

Top Performers:
Nicole Henke – 2-3, 6 RBIs, 1 run, 1 grand slam
Morgan Teodosio – 3-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs 

Of Note:
Sacred Heart came out firing in game two, bursting out to a 6-0 lead after three innings. SHU scored one in the second on a pair of singles and a sac fly before plating five in the third. The Pios started the third by loading the bases before an error by the opposing third baseman brought in a run. Morgan Teodosio brought in the next run on a single, leading to Henke's two-RBI single. The final score came off a double play, which capped the high-scoring inning. 

Niagara started to come alive in the fourth with a trio of runs to trim the margin in half, 6-3.

However, SHU's offense did not stay quiet for long, as RBI singles from Teodosio and Olivia Bibbo in the fifth made it an 8-3 Pioneers lead. 

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, Sacred Heart had a chance to take the win in walk-off fashion, and that's just what it did. Henke stepped to the plate and rocketed a ball straight over the center fielder's head and out of Pioneer Park to secure a run-rule victory. The junior tied her career-high, set this season, with six RBIs in game two. 

In the circle, Emily Heath and Carah Sweet handled pitching duties. Heath started and earned the win by going 4.0 innings with three earned runs and two strikeouts to move to 4-5 on the season. Sweet entered in relief and got the final six outs for the Pios. 

Up Next:
Sacred Heart and Niagara conclude the weekend series tomorrow at 11 a.m.