The Canisius College softball team scored seven times in the home half of the fifth inning, keyed by a three-run homer by junior Katie Lancellotti, to help the host Golden Griffins earn a split in MAAC doubleheader action against long-time rival Niagara Wednesday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex. The Blue and Gold took the nightcap by an 8-3 count after the Purple Eagles scored a 1-0 win in the first game. Canisius is now 18-19 overall and 5-7 in MAAC play, while Niagara moved to 18-14 overall and 6-4 in conference action.

In the second game, Canisius trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth, but the Griffs broke the game over with seven runs on five hits and two Niagara errors to take control of the contest. Sophomore Stephanie Pfentner got the inning started with a leadoff ground-rule double, and she scored moments later on a throwing error by the NU defense to make the score 3-2. Later in the inning, Canisius had two runners on with two outs before Paige Freiberger roped a single to center that allowed junior Lauren Falzone and senior Lauren Hope to score and give the home squad a 4-3 lead. After a walk and a base hit by freshman Valorie Nappo, which allowed Freiberger to score, Niagara pulled starting pitcher Julie DiMatteo in favor of reliever Bri Allen. The first batter Allen faced was Lancellotti, and the junior shortstop promptly drove an Allen offering over the fence in center to make the score 8-3 in favor of Canisius.

Niagara took the early 3-1 lead with single runs in the second, third and fourth innings. In the third with the Purple Eagles leading 1-0, senior Teresa hit her 11th homer of the season to center to give Niagara a 2-0 lead. Canisius answered with a single run in the third when Katie Medina knocked in a run on a fielder's choice which allowed Pfentner to score from third base. Niagara added a run in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead when Maggie McDonald drilled a double to center that plated teammate Sarah Anthon.

Canisius freshman Jen Consaul, the MAAC's reigning Rookie of the Week, earned her sixth win of the season in the circle for Canisius after she allowed three runs on 10 hits while striking out five and walking four. DiMatteo took the loss after she gave up seven runs, one of which was earned, on five hits to go with two strikeouts and two walks. She is now 4-6 on the season.

Hope had two hits in the game two win, while Pfentner added a double and two runs scored to the winning effort. McDonald had three hits for Niagara in the loss, while teammate Jen Hare went 4-for-4 with a run scored.

In the first game, Niagara's Becky Zill hit a solo homer in the top of the sixth to help lift the Purple Eagles to the 1-0 victory. Canisius had runners at second and third with two outs in the home half of the sixth, but starting pitcher Kim Bryson got a strikeout, one of her five on the day, to end the Griffs' offensive threat.

McDonald and Zill had two hits apiece in the win for Niagara, while Anthon added a pinch-hit double to the winning effort. Bryson moved to 9-5 on the year in the circle after she allowed just three hits, two of which came off the bat of Falzone. Junior Caroline Main took the loss for the Blue and Gold after she gave up one run on five hits while fanning 10 and walking four.

Canisius will close out the home portion of the 2011 schedule Saturday, April 30, when the team hosts Marist on Senior Day. First pitch is set for 12 p.m., and after the second game, the Canisius will honor its four seniors who will be playing in their final home contests.

Game Notes: Canisius has played Niagara a total of 105 times, and the Griffs lead the all-time series 84-20-1... This marks the third-straight season where Canisius and Niagara split the regular-season doubleheader... The doubleheader split gives each school one point in the Battle of the Bridge series... Canisius now leads the race for the Canal Cup by a 16-13 count... There was a 20-minute rain delay with two outs in the bottom of the fourth... Dating back to 2006, the Griffs are 40-6 at home in MAAC regular-season games... Freiberger's two RBI in game two marks the fifth time this season she's driven in two runs in a game... Lancellotti's homer was the 15th in her career, which places her second all-time in school history on the school's career home run chart... Hope had a stolen base in the game two win to give her 111 steals in her career... Consaul is now 3-1 in her four MAAC starts.