NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (21-24,12-8) fell to Le Moyne College (29-18, 20-2), 16-2, Friday at Bobo Field. With the win, the Dolphins clinched the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season championship, winning their 20th conference game of the season.

Nineteen hits powered Le Moyne to the 14-run victory, led by three hits and six runs batted in by senior Jeff Justice. The outfielder, who leads the MAAC with a .392 batting average, opened the first inning with a two-run home run to left, helping the Dolphins build a 3-0 lead after the opening inning.

With the score, 4-0, heading into the fourth inning, senior Kyle Brown’s double down the left field line scored two more runs for Le Moyne, extending the Dolphins lead to 7-0. Brown, leading the MAAC with 41 stolen bases, went 2 for 2, with three RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base.

Niagara got on the board in the sixth after a Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) double, scoring junior Reed Eastley (Brandon, Man.), however, Le Moyne went onto score five runs the following inning, taking a 14-1 lead.

In the seventh, with the bases loaded, Justice hit a sharp single to left, scoring two more runs for the Dolphins. Sophomores Mike Affronti and Andre Enriquez drove in the final two runs of the inning for Le Moyne.

Eastley’s solo home run to left in the eighth inning scored the second run for the Purple Eagles. The junior shortstop led the team with two hits, one RBI and two runs scored.

Already leading the conference with a 2.33 ERA heading into Friday’s contest with Niagara, junior Matt Scherer (8-2) picked up the win for the Dolphins. The right-hander went six innings, giving up five hits, one run and striking out eight, with no walks.

The two teams return to action Saturday, playing in a doubleheader at Bobo Field. Game one is set to begin at noon.