NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (21-22) extended its winning streak to three games, defeating Youngstown State (14-27), 13-3, Tuesday at Bobo Field. Purple Eagle pitchers Matt Ircandia (Calgary, Alb.) and Jeff Finucane (Rochester, N.Y.) combined to two-hit the Penguins in the win.

In his first start of the season, Ircandia, after allowing a hit to Youngstown catcher Brandon Caipen in the first, held the Penguins hitless over the following three innings. The freshman left-hander allowed two hits and a walk, while striking out three for his first win of the season. Finucane, who entered the game in the seventh, pitched three no-hit innings, striking out two Youngstown batters.

Niagara opened the game by scoring eight runs over the first three innings, highlighted by five runs in the bottom of the third. After senior Greg Lehman (Croghan, N.Y.) and junior Reed Eastley (Brandon, Man.) opened the third with back-to-back hits, sophomore Mike Alati’s (Vaughn, N.Y.) single to left brought in Lehman and the fourth Purple Eagles run of the contest. Hits by sophomore Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y.) and freshman Brian Clifford (Buffalo) -- who reached on an error by Penguins shortstop Charles Schultz -- scored three more runs for Niagara, building an 8-1 lead after three.

Scoring continued for the Purple Eagles in the fifth inning, led by sophomore outfielder Jeff Vincent’s (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) three-run home run to center, extending Niagara’s lead to 11-2.

RBI-singles by Lehman and Eastley in the seventh scored the final two runs for the Purple Eagles. Extending his hitting streak to 10 games, Eastley went 4 for 5 with one run batted in and two runs scored against the Penguins.

Niagara travels to Amherst Audubon Field to face the University at Buffalo Wednesday at 5 p.m. This season, the Purple Eagles are 2-1 against the Bulls.