NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Starting a four-game homestand, the Niagara University baseball team (18-20) hosts the University of Pittsburgh (28-12) Wednesday at Sal Maglie Field, in Niagara Falls, at 6 p.m.
The Purple Eagles, third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings with a 10-6 record, enter Wednesday’s contest having lost two of their last three games, dropping two games to Rider University this past weekend.
Niagara, second in the MAAC in team batting (.288), has four batters hitting .300-plus, led by Reed Eastley (Brandon, Man./Neelin). The junior, who’s hitting .347 from the plate, leads the Purple Eagles with 50 hits, seven home runs, 40 runs batted in and a .625 slugging percentage.
Leading the conference with a .463 on-base percentage and 41 runs scored is junior Vince Ircandia (Calgary, Alb./Central). The second baseman has drawn 26 walks (second-most in the MAAC) and has 17 stolen bases, while averaging .333 from the plate, this season.
Also contributing for Niagara are Mike Alati (Vaughn, N.Y./St. Michael’s), who’s batting .325, and Tim Fitzgerald (Orchard Park, N.Y./Canisius). Fitzgerald, batting .317, has an eight-game hit streak heading into Wednesday’s game.
Taking the hill against the Panthers Wednesday is freshman Daniel Griffin (Schenectady, N.Y./Guilderland). In seven starts and eight appearances this season, Griffin has a 1-5 record with a 8.36 ERA. In his last start, the right-hander went six innings, allowing only three hits while striking out a career-high nine batters.
Pittsburgh, which visits the University at Buffalo Tuesday, has won two of its last three games, all against Villanova last weekend.
The Panthers, with a 12-5 conference record, are tied for second in the Big East Conference. Second in the Big East in team batting (.319), the Panthers are led by five batters hitting .300 or better.
Sophomore outfielder Ben Copeland and freshman infielder Jim Negrych lead the Panthers in hitting, both with a .364 average from the plate. Copeland leads Pittsburgh with 56 hits and 49 runs scored this season. The sophomore also leads the team with 23 stolen bases.
Leading the Big East in home runs and second in RBI is senior P.J. Hiser. Used as both a pitcher and outfielder, Hiser has 15 home runs this season, 46 RBI and a conference-leading slugging percentage of .770.
On the mound, the Panthers are led by starters Andrew Kuss, Nick Evangelista and Hiser. With 10 starts to his credit this season, Evangelista leads the Big East in wins (6) and is fifth in strikeouts (16). The senior right-hander has two shutouts this season, leading the conference.
The two teams split their two games earlier this season, played at Trees Field in Pittsburgh, with the Panthers winning the first game of the doubleheader, 9-8, and Niagara coming back to win the second game, 4-3.
The Purple Eagles are 1-1 this season at Sal Maglie Field.
