MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Niagara University baseball team (0-13) was swept in a two-game series with West Virginia University (6-9) Tuesday at Hawley Field, on the campus of WVU. The Purple Eagles lost Game 1 of the two-game series, 6-1, losing Game 2, 6-4.
Niagara was led by junior Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) and Daniel Parsons (Liverpool, N.Y.) in the two-game series, with Alati leading the Purple Eagles with two RBI and a run scored against West Virginia. Parsons went 3-for-3 with one run scored and an RBI Tuesday.
Game 1 - West Virginia 6, Niagara 1
Senior Marty Fagler (1-0) threw a complete-game, four-hitter to win his first start of the season and lead the Mountaineers to the 6-1 victory.
After hitting junior Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y.) with a pitch in the first inning, scoring Alati, Fagler allowed just two hits over the next six innings.
West Virginia took a 2-1 lead in the third inning off of RBI-doubles by junior Casey Bowling and senior Lee Fritz.
In the fifth with the bases loaded, Mountaineers senior Chad McKown hit a grand slam off of Niagara pitcher Ryan Virtue (Stittsville, Ont.), giving West Virginia a 6-1 lead.
Fagler struck out two over the next two innings, allowing one hit and no walks to earn the win.
Sophomore starter Dan Griffin (Schenectady, N.Y.) pitched 3 2-3 innings, allowing five hits and two runs.
Game 2 - West Virginia 6, Niagara 4
Down 6-1 heading into the final inning, Niagara mounted a late comeback.
Freshman Chris Leendertse (Ancaster, Ont.) led off the inning with a single to left. After Parsons hit a single to right center, moving Leendertse to third, Alati hit a two-run double to left, cutting the Mountaineer lead to 6-3. Alati would score on a single by sophomore Brian Clifford (Buffalo).
With the tying runs on and two outs, West Virginia junior Kevin Korzun struck out Solini to end the contest and seal the 6-4 victory for the Mountaineers.
West Virginia was led by junior Stan Posluszny, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in the win. Clifford went 3-for-4 with one RBI in the loss for the Purple Eagles.
Earning the win for the Mountaineers was freshman Ryan Hill (1-0), who went 4 2-3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs in relief. Junior Kyle Nicoletta (Oakville, Ont.) pitched 4 2-3 innings in his first start of the season, allowing eight hits and four runs.
Niagara returns to action this weekend, traveling to New York Tech for two doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday.
