JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Niagara University baseball team (0-3) was swept by East Tennessee State University (3-0) in the doubleheader Saturday at Cardinal Park, on the campus of ETSU.

The Buccaneers won Game 1 of the Saturday doubleheader, 5-4, completing the three-game sweep of the Purple Eagles with a 3-2 win in Game 2.

First-year Niagara head coach Chris Chernisky was proud of his team’s effort in the series, saying the team has many positives to take away from the weekend.

"It was a solid first weekend for us," Chernisky said. "Anytime you lose, it takes away from the experience. We were in every game and they pitched us very well, keeping us off-balanced."

With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth inning and the bases loaded, ETSU sophomore OF Stephen Douglas’ sacrifice fly to center field brought-in senior 2B Nick Crowe and the game-winning run. Crowe opened the inning with a double, finishing with a hit and two runs scored in the 5-4 win.

Niagara held a 4-1 lead following the top half of the seventh inning, after juniors Andrew MacNevin (St. Catharines, P.E.I.) and Jeff Vincent (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) opened the inning with back-to-back home runs, leading to three Purple Eagle runs in the seventh.

The Buccaneers tied the score in the bottom of the seventh with an two-run double by RF Shane Byrne along with a hit by senior Caleb Moore, which drove-in the game-tying run.

Senior Michael Bauer pitched the final two innings for the Buccaneers, giving up one hit to earn the victory.

Also homering for the Purple Eagles in the loss was junior Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.), who had two solo home runs in Saturday’s doubleheader.

Niagara sophomore P Dan Griffin (Schenectady, N.Y.) pitched 6 2/3 strong innings, giving up four hits and striking out a career-high 11 batters.

Alati put the Purple Eagles on top early with a solo home run to right field in the first inning, his first home run of the season.

The Buccaneers scored runs in both the first and second innings to take a 2-1 lead following the Alati homer.

With Crowe and junior Blake Church on, a double by Douglas brought home the first run of the contest for ETSU in the bottom of the first inning.

With the game tied at 1-1 in the second, Buccaneers junior Matt Traylor scored after leading off the inning with a single and a stolen base.

ETSU built on its one-run lead in the fifth, as Crowe scored after Moore doubled to left field, giving the Buccaneers a 3-1 lead.

Junior Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y.), who went 2-for-3 with an RBI, singled-in freshman Andrew Macdonald (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) in the sixth inning, however the Purple Eagles were unable to overcome the two-run ETSU lead.

Moore pitched a no-hit seventh inning to close the game out for the Buccaneers.

Earning the win for ETSU was junior Steven Calicutt, giving up four hits and two runs, while striking out four in six innings of work.

Niagara sophomore Josh Sawatzky (Altona, Man.) went the distance in the second game, allowing six hits and striking out four batters, while walking three.

The Purple Eagles return to action next weekend, facing No. 7 South Carolina in a three-game series at Sarge Frye Field, in Columbia, S.C.