NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (2-8) split Saturday’s games with Morehead State (5-9) at Allen Field in Morehead, Ky.
The Purple Eagles dropped the first game of the doubleheader, 13-6, but came back with a 3-2 victory in the night cap.
Niagara returns to action next weekend when it travels to Pleasantville, N.Y., to play Pace University at Finnerty Field.
Game One - Morehead State 13, Niagara 6
Two four-run innings helped Morehead State to a 13-6 win over visiting Niagara Saturday afternoon.
After three scoreless innings, Niagara tallied the games first run when junior Vince Ircandia (Calgary, Alberta) was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Tim Fitzgerald (Orchard Park, N.Y./Canisius), advanced to third on a ground out by junior Reed Eastley (Brandon, Manitoba) and then scored when sophomore Andrew MacNevin (St. Catherines, P.E.I.) reached on an error.
Morehead State tallied four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Robert Ditirch hit a two-run double and Travis Rima had a two-run single.
Niagara tied the game 4-4 in the sixth with three runs. Eastley and MacNevin had a RBI singles and Fitzgerald tallied the third run.
Morehead State regained the lead with its second four-run inning. The Purple Eagles allowed the Eagles to score on two wild pitches, a single and a hit by pitch.
The Eagles scored five more runs in the seventh and eighth innings before Niagara tallied two in the eighth. Senior Greg Lehman (Croghan, N.Y.) walked, advanced to third on a double by sophomore Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y.) and then Ircandia hit a two-run double.
Ircandia was 1 for 2 with two RBI and a double. Freshman Josh Sawatzky (Alton, Manitoba) took the loss going five and a third innings, giving up seven runs, seven hits and striking out seven.
Game Two - Niagara 3, Morehead State 2
Niagara won the series and its second game of the season with a 3-2 in the third game vs. Morehead State.
The Purple Eagles got on the scoreboard first as Eastley doubled, reached third on a wild pitch and MacNevin had a RBI single. Morehead reciprocated when Pete Troyer scored after Zac Carr was hit by a pitch.
Niagara took a two-run lead, 3-1, in the fifth inning when Fitzgerald walked and scored on Eastley’s fifth home run of the season.
Morehead came up short in the bottom of the seventh, scoring once before Ircandia threw out Rima at second.
Eastley was 2 for 2 with two runs and sophomore Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y.) 2 for 3. Freshman Daniel Griffin (Schenectady, N.Y.) got his first collegiate win going six innings, allowing one run, two hits and striking out five. Sophomore Matt Fuller (Rochester, N.Y.) picked up the save, working an inning and allowing one hit.
