Junior Vince Ircandia broke the school record for walks Thursday.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (26-26) lost its opening game in the 2004 Anaconda Sports/Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament 7-2 to Manhattan (24-25-1) Thursday at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y.

The Purple Eagles surrendered six runs on nine hits in the eighth and ninth innings after sporting a 2-1 lead.

The Jaspers began their come-from-behind victory in the eighth when Josh Greco hit a two-out, two-run home run to left field for a 3-2 lead. A pop-up double just beyond first base by Gary Diaz scored two more runs for Manhattan and gave it a 5-2 lead with the four-run, six-hit inning. In the ninth, Matt Cucurullo singled, stole second and scored on Greco’s third hit of the game. Frank Cappello tallied Manhattan’s final run on a RBI single by John Maser.

Niagara took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when junior Vince Ircandia (Calgary, Alb.) got to first on an error, stole second, went to third on an error on the same play and then scored when junior Reed Eastley (Brandon, Man.) tripled to left-center field.

Manhattan struck first in the second inning when Cucurullo singled up the middle, went to second on a wild pitch and then scored on a single by John Fitzpatrick.

The Purple Eagles tied the game in the fourth when sophomore Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) got on with a fielder’s choice, moved to second on a single by sophomore Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) and scored when sophomore Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) singled to right field on a hit-and-run play.

Purple Eagle sophomore James Avery (Moose Jaw, Sask.) took the loss on the mound, giving up 15 hits, seven runs and striking out one in eight and two-third’s innings. Sophomore Matt Fuller (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) threw a third of an inning and gave up two hits.

Alati was 3 for 5 with a double, Eastley 2 for 4 with a RBI triple, Medici 2 for 5 with a RBI double and senior Tim Fitzgerald (Orchard Park, N.Y./Canisius) were 2 for 5. With his pair of hits, Fitzgerald enters his next game with a 17-game hitting streak. Ircandia broke the school record for walks when he reached first with a base on balls in his first at bat.

Niagara returns to action Friday when it plays the loser of the Le Moyne-Marist game at 11 a.m.