NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (25-25, 15-9) swept its doubleheader with Canisius College (4-42, 4-22) Thursday at John P. Bobo Field, winning the opening game, 6-5, in 11 innings and the second game, 20-7. With the sweep, the Purple Eagles clinched a spot in next weekend’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament, played at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y.
The sweep of Canisius, coupled with two losses by Siena to Le Moyne Thursday, helped Niagara earn a spot in the conference championships for the second consecutive season.
"Obviously we’re excited to make the tournament. But after being there last year, the objective this year has changed," Niagara head coach Mike McRae said. "We’re going there with the mindset to try to win it...and I think we’re capable of it."
The Purple Eagles host the Golden Griffins in the season finale Friday at Bobo Field, with game time set for 1 p.m. In Friday’s contest, three Niagara seniors -- Jeff Finucane (Rochester, N.Y.), Tim Fitzgerald (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and Greg Lehman (Croghan, N.Y.) -- play their final home game of their collegiate careers.
Game 1 - Niagara 6, Canisius 5 (11 innings)
With the score knotted at 5-5 in the bottom of the 11th inning, Fitzgerald led off with a double to left field, giving the Purple Eagles a runner in scoring position with no outs. The next batter, junior shortstop Reed Eastley (Brandon, Man.), stroked a single to left, driving-in Fitzgerald and the game-winning run.
Canisius took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. After sophomore Kevin Smith drew a two-out walk, sophomore Gabe Baida reached on an error by Eastley, scoring White. Smith would later add a run in the third inning on a Baida sacrifice hit.
Niagara managed to take a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh, with hits by Fitzgerald and sophomore Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y.) scoring three runs for the Purple Eagles in the inning. Solini, who hit a two-out triple to right, scoring Fitzgerald, scored on an error by Smith.
The Griffs scored two runs the following inning, tying the score at 5-5. A single by freshman Rich Ruscio and a sacrifice fly by junior Ron Hooper scored the two runs for Canisius.
Holding the Griffs to just one hit and no runs over the final three innings, sophomore Kyle Nicoletta (Oakville, Ont.) earned his seventh win of the season. Nicoletta struck out five and walked one in his three innings of work.
Game 2 - Niagara 20, Canisius 7
Scoring 10 in the fifth inning, the Purple Eagles produced a season-high 20 runs to defeat Canisius, 20-7, in game two of the doubleheader.
After Eastley, the second batter of the fifth inning, recorded the first out, moving Fitzgerald to second, the next seven Purple Eagle hitters reached base and scored. Solini -- who finished the day going 7 for 10 with 7 runs batted in -- continued the scoring in the fifth, hitting a two-run home run and giving Niagara an 18-4 lead after five.
Doubles by juniors Vince Ircandia (Calgary, Alb.) and Eastley added two more runs for the Purple Eagles the following inning.
Niagara took a 7-0 lead after the second inning. Freshman outfielder Brian Clifford (Cheektowaga) opened the second with his first career home run, leading off with a solo home run to left. The next three batters following Clifford reached base, brought-in by a three-run triple by Fitzgerald, who had six RBI on the day.
Freshman pitcher Josh Sawatzky (Altona, Man.) pitched six innings for the win, giving up six hits and four runs, while striking out four.
