LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (10-15, 5-2) pounded out 10 hits but stranded nine players on base in an 8-3 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference loss to Siena College (11-15, 3-4) Saturday afternoon at Siena Field.

The Purple Eagles were led by senior Tim Fitzgerald (Orchard Park, N.Y./Canisius) who was 2 for 5 with a home run, two runs scored and a run batted in. Sophomore Mike Alati (Vaughn, N.Y.) was 2 for 4 and classmate Jeff Vincent (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) was 2 for 2. Junior Vince Ircandia (Calgary, Alb.) had his third triple of the season in the third inning.

For the second consecutive game, Niagara scored in its first at bat. Fitzgerald led off with an infield single and scored on junior Reed Eastley’s (Brandon, Man.) single to left field.

Siena answered with three runs of its own in the first, as all nine players came to the plate. Six Saints reached base off freshman starter Daniel Griffin (Schenectady, N.Y.), who allowed three hits and three walks in suffering his fourth setback of the season.

The Saints tacked on an unearned run in both the third and fourth innings, taking advantage of three of the Purple Eagles’ four errors.

In the seventh inning, Siena built a four-run lead with three additional runs.

Niagara scored two runs in the eighth with the first coming on a lead-off home run by Fitzgerald, his second round-tripper of the season. The Purple Eagles then loaded the bases, scoring again on an infield single by pinch-hitter Brian Clifford (Fr., Buffalo, N.Y./Bishop Timon). The game ended with Siena’s pitcher Josh Courage tossing out Eastley at first.

The Purple Eagles return to action April 13 when they travel to Albany to take on the Great Danes. First pitch for game one is at 3 p.m. at Hopkins Road Park and game two begins at 7 p.m. at PNC Stadium.