NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Playing its first home series of the season, the Niagara University baseball team (2-13) opens Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play against Siena College (2-11) in a three-game series at Bobo Field Sunday and Monday. Start time is set for noon both days.
With the series start pushed back to Sunday due to inclement weather, the Purple Eagles look to extend their two-game winning streak in the series against the Saints at Bobo Field.
In its last series, Niagara swept Hofstra Tuesday, tallying a season-high 13 runs in its last contest.
Junior catcher Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y.), who went 5-for-6 with six RBI in the two-game series with Hofstra, leads the Purple Eagles with a .353 batting average and 10 RBI this season. Medici has two home runs this season and a .549 slugging percentage.
Leading the team with a .561 slugging percentage and three home runs, junior Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) is batting .333 from the plate. Alati scored a team-high four runs in Tuesday’s series with Hofstra.
Junior James Avery (Moose Jaw, Sask.) starts Game 1 of the Sunday doubleheader. With a 6.04 ERA in four starts, Avery (0-2) leads the Purple Eagles with 25 strikeouts this season.
Sophomore Josh Sawatzky (Altona, Man.) starts Game 2, with the Game 3 starter yet to be determined. Sawatzky (0-3) leads the team with 29 1-3 innings pitched this season, starting four games with a 7.36 ERA.
Siena enters the series with the Purple Eagles on a seven-game losing streak, falling to Coastal Carolina University, 9-1, Wednesday.
The Saints are led by junior outfielder Scott King. A 2005 preseason All-MAAC selection, King leads with 10 RBI and two stolen bases, batting .244 from the plate.
Junior Steve Ballas leads the team with a .364 batting average in 11 games this season.
On the mound, senior Josh Burnett (0-2) and junior John Lannan (1-2) have each started a team-high three games this season. Burnett leads all Siena starters with a 4.24 ERA in 17 innings pitched. Lannan leads the Saints with 18 strikeouts, not allowing a home run in his three starts.
The Purple Eagles trail the all-time series with Siena, 29-53. Niagara won two of three games against the Saints last season at Siena Field, April 9-10, 2004.
