NIAGARA AT ST. BONAVENTURE
Wednesday, April 12 (DH) – 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m.
Location: Joyce Field
Coverage: Live Stats | Live Video ($$)

STORYLINE
The St. Bonaventure softball team will take on Little Three rival Niagara for a Wednesday doubleheader at Joyce Field. The Bonnies are looking for revenge on NU as the Purple Eagles swept St. Bona in a doubleheader earlier this season on March 9.

COVERAGE
Wednesday's games will both be streamed live through GoBonniesTV and the Atlantic 10 Network. For information on how to subscribe, click here. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Bonnies were swept in a three-game set at Dayton this past weekend. Alexandra Piergustavo knocked a three-run home run in each game of Saturday's doubleheader, and Sam Wood tossed five shutout innings on Sunday in her first career start in the circle.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

1. This past weekend, Alexandra Piergustavo reaffirmed that she is a force in the middle of the Bona batting order. The sophomore smacked a pair of three-run homers, one in each game of a doubleheader on Saturday at Dayton. She now leads the team in hits (27), RBIs (23) and home runs (five).
2. Atop the Bona batting order, Desiree Gonzalez leads the squad with 16 runs scored and 12 extra-base hits, including the only three triples on the team. Her 11 stolen bases are also the most of any Bonnie.
3. Alissa Karjel has hit in bunches this season, as the last three games she's recorded a hit have been multi-hit games. In the final matchup of the series at Dayton this past week, she went 2-for-3 with a double. Her two hits were half of the Bona total.
4. In the month of April, Kelly Farrell has found her offensive stroke. In the eight games she's played this month, she's recorded hits in five of those games, and scored five runs. Both of her home runs have come this month, and all five of her April RBIs have come via the long ball. Her batting average has improved nearly 60 points since the start of April.
5. In the circle, Sam Wood has emerged as a valuable arm in her first campaign with the Brown and White. On April 5 against Robert Morris, she earned her first career win as she worked 1.2 innings in relief, allowing one hit. On Sunday at Dayton, the lefty made her first career start as she tossed all six innings, dealing a shutout through the first four. In her 19 innings of work, she owns a team-best 3.32 ERA.

ABOUT NIAGARA (9-15)

• The Niagara Purple Eagles topped the Bonnies in both games of a doubleheader on March 9 at Daytona State Community College in Florida. In the second game, Siera Bertrand worked a complete-game win as she surrendered just one Bona hit for no earned runs.
• The Purple Eagles are coming off a doubleheader sweep over Saint Peters on Monday. The wins snapped an 11-game losing streak and a winless conference slate so far.
• Niagara has a pair of starters hitting above .300 on the season. Bridget Hogan leads the team with a .350 batting average, and Jerri Ann Orfano is following closely behind at .338. Orfano has knocked a team-best two homers so far this season, and Hogan has hit a team-leading eight doubles and 28 hits with 13 RBIs.
• Sarah March is a key contributor for the Purple Eagles as she has crossed home plate 16 times this season with five doubles, a triple and a homer.
• In the circle, Bertrand has been credited with five wins so far this season in 11 starts for 62.2 innings. She splits time with Jennifer Szilagyi, who is 3-6 on the year in 65.1 innings of work.

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