Senior Greg Lehman had the game-winning single in the Niagara's 4-3 win over Pittsburgh Wednesday.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (3-12) split a doubleheader with the University of Pittsburgh (10-4) Wednesday at Trees Field.

The Purple Eagles return to action this weekend when they open Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play at Manhattan.

Game 1 - Pittsburgh 9, Niagara 8

After leading 8-2 after three innings, Niagara gave up three runs each in both the fourth and fifth innings to fall to Pittsburgh, 9-8, in the first game of the doubleheader.

The Purple Eagles started the series with three runs in the first inning. Junior Vince Ircandia (Calgary, Alberta) tripled in his first at bat and then scored on senior Tim Fitzgerald’s (Orchard Park, N.Y./Canisius) ground out. Junior Reed Eastley (Brandon, Manitoba) scored Niagara’s second run when he walked, reached second on sophomore Andrew MacNevin’s (St. Catherines, P.E.I.) walk, stole third and scored on sophomore Mike Alati’s (Vaughn, N.Y.) double. Alati and MacNevin also scored for the 3-0 lead.

Niagara took an 8-1 lead in the second and third innings when Fitzgerald, freshman Brian Clifford (Buffalo, N.Y./Bishop Timon), MacNevin and Alati all scored in the second frame, and Ircandia scored his second run of the game in the third.

Pittsburgh made it 8-6 in the fourth when it tallied three runs on two hits and an error. The Panthers plated the game-winning run in the fifth inning when Mike Zambriczhi scored. He singled, advanced to second on Pittsburgh’s third single of the inning and then scored on an error.

For the game, Ircandia was 2 for 3 with a triple, Alati 3 for 4 with a double and three runs batted in and Solini was 2 for 2.

Game 2 - Niagara 4, Pittsburgh 3

The Purple Eagles came from behind in the sixth inning to win their third game of the season and split the series with Pittsburgh.

Trailing 3-0 after three innings, Niagara got on the scoreboard with back-to-back home runs by Eastley and MacNevin.

The Purple Eagles tied the game and then took the lead in the sixth when MacNevin singled, went to second and then third when Alati and sophomore Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y.) walked. Senior Greg Lehman (Croghan, N.Y.) then hit the game-winning, two-out, two-run single.