SOFTBALL SIDEBAR: NU’s big bats never got rolling

By Thomas Baldwin

STRATFORD, Conn. May 08, 2008 06:19 pm

— Good pitching usually beats good hitting.
Thursday’s Niagara-Fairfield first-round MAAC Tournament softball game was anything but an aberration from that time-tested rule.
The Purple Eagles averaged over five runs per game during the course of a 46-game schedule, but their bats were eerily silent in their biggest game of the season.
“We didn’t come out to play, and it showed,” Niagara’s Tory Healy said.
Healy was befuddled about how the Purple Eagles looked so flat in the batters box, but did mention a combination of chasing bad pitches along with being overpowered.
“We watched good pitches and chased bad pitches, she said.”
Combine Niagara’s bad decisions at the plate with an overpowering performance from Fairfield starter Sarah Minice, and it was a long day for the Purple Eagles.
“I mixed up everything today,” Minice said. “I threw a lot of riseballs and dropballs. I threw every pitch as hard as I could and as well as I could. They have some really good hitters, and I had to go after them with everything I had.
“I am happy. In my last outing against them, I did not come out with my best. I really wanted to come out and prove myself.”
Niagara’s four top hitters during the regular season — Felicia Coffey, Healy, Teresa Healy and Maggie McDonald — were a combined 2-for-12 in the game.
Coffey smacked a double in the sixth while Teresa Healy had a single in the first.
“I am very disappointed,” Niagara coach Al Dirschberger said. “They are supposed to lead us. Two of them are upperclassmen and two are freshmen. It was some pressure for the freshman, but we have to do a better job.”
Needless to say, Dirschberger was impressed with Minice, who struck out nine batter and only walked one.
“She threw a nice game,” he said. “She kept us off balance. She went in and out, and did a nice job.”