NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (22-25, 13-9) split its doubleheader with first-place Le Moyne College (30-19, 21-3) Saturday at Bobo Field, winning the first game, 7-3, but falling in the second game, 11-9.
Leading the Purple Eagles in the split was sophomore Jeff Vincent (Baldwinsville, N.Y.). The outfielder went 4 for 5 in the two games, with three runs batted in and four runs scored. Vincent hit two home runs against Le Moyne Saturday.
Following the split, Niagara remains in the top four in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings, with a 13-9 conference record. The Purple Eagles return to action Tuesday, hosting the University at Buffalo at Sal Maglie Field, in Niagara Falls, at 6 p.m.
Game 1 - Niagara 7, Le Moyne 3
Combining to score five runs in the second and third innings helped Niagara to the 7-3 win over Le Moyne in game one of the Saturday doubleheader.
With the score 1-0 in favor of the Dolphins after the first inning, sophomore Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) hit a two-run homer to right, scoring sophomore Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y.) and giving the Purple Eagles a 2-1 lead after two innings.
The following inning, Solini’s double to left, scoring senior Tim Fitzgerald (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and junior Reed Eastley (Brandon, Man.), extended Niagara’s lead to 4-1 over the Dolphins. With one out in the third, sophomore Andrew MacNevin’s (St. Catherines, P.E.I.) sacrifice fly to center field scored Solini and the fifth Purple Eagles run.
MacNevin and Vincent each added solo home runs in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, helping to seal the Niagara victory.
Freshman pitcher Josh Sawatzky (Altona, Man.) pitched six innings, giving up seven hits and three runs, to pick up his fourth (4-5) win of the season.
Game 2 - Le Moyne 11, Niagara 9
Two home runs by senior outfielder Jeff Justice paced Le Moyne to the 11-9 victory in game two of the doubleheader. Justice, who is among the MAAC leaders in five offensive categories, finished 8 for 14 in the three-game series, with 10 RBI, three runs scored and three home runs.
Although trailing 8-2 after six innings, the Purple Eagles forged an seven-run comeback in the seventh and eighth innings to come within two runs of the Dolphins with the ninth inning still to play.
After scoring two runs in the seventh, with hits by junior Vince Ircandia (Calgary, Alb.) and Fitzgerald driving-in the two runs, the first five Niagara batters reached base the following inning.
With MacNevin on first, sophomore catcher Mike Medici’s (Latham, N.Y.) home run to left scored the first two runs of the eighth inning. After the next batter, freshman Tom Farrell (Oswego, N.Y.), beat out a throw by Le Moyne shortstop Mike Affronti to reach base, Vincent hit his second home run of the day, scoring two more runs for the Purple Eagles and cutting the Dolphins lead to three. Ircandia scored the final Niagara run of the eighth, on a sacrifice hit by Eastley, but Le Moyne sophomore pitcher Alexander Lindsay retired all three Purple Eagle batters in the final inning to win the game for the Dolphins.
Justice’s two home runs in the first and second innings scored three runs for Le Moyne, helping the Dolphins build a 7-0 lead after two innings.
