JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Outscoring the Peacocks, 19-0, in the two games, the Niagara University baseball team (10-17, 6-3) swept the doubleheader against Saint Peter’s College (2-25, 1-9) Saturday at Jaroschak Field. The wins extended the Purple Eagles winning streak to seven games.
Not allowing a run in the past 21 innings -- 39 innings without an earned run -- Niagara’s starting pitching of sophomores Dan Griffin (Schenectady, N.Y.) and Josh Sawatzky (Altona, Man.) struck out a combined 27 batters in Saturday’s doubleheader.
Griffin (1-4), who earned his first win of the 2005 season, pitched seven innings in Game 1 against the Peacocks, striking out a career-high 15 batters while allowing four hits.
Sawatzky (2-4) stuck out a career-high 12 batters, allowing four hits in a complete-game effort in Game 2.
Game 1 - Niagara 7, Saint Peter’s 0
The Purple Eagles struck out a season-high 19 batters in Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Peacocks, not allowing a hit in seven of the nine innings.
Assisting Griffin in the shutout was junior Mike Radanovic (Surrey, B.C.) and senior Chris Cerchie (Lasalle, Ont.), who both pitched an inning in relief. Both Radanovic and Cerchie did not allow a hit in relief, both striking out two batters.
Not scoring more than one run in any inning of the 7-0 victory, junior first baseman Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y.) paced Niagara in Game 1, going 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.
Niagara took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, with Solini scoring the first run of the contest. On second base, Solini scored on an RBI-single by junior Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.).
Freshman shortstop Andrew MacDonald (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) went 2-for-3 in the win with a run scored.
Game 2 - Niagara 12, Saint Peter’s 0
Niagara matched a season high with 15 hits in the 12-0 win in Game 2.
Junior Andrew MacNevin (St. Catharines, P.E.I.) led the Purple Eagles with four hits and three RBI in the win, as Niagara scored five runs in the second inning to pull away from the Peacocks.
With Alati, junior Matt Schaefer (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and freshman Tim Alberts (Syracuse, N.Y.) on base in the second inning, Saint Peter’s starting pitcher Benjamin Gallo walked junior Dan Parsons (Liverpool, N.Y.), allowing Niagara to score its first run of the contest.
After Parsons walked, sophomore Brian Clifford (Buffalo) doubled to left center, scoring two more runs for the Purple Eagles.
MacNevin hit a single to center to score the final two runs of the second inning.
Sawatzky pitched his third complete game of the season.
Saturday’s shutout of Saint Peter’s marked the first time Niagara has shutout an opponent in a doubleheader in the past five season.
The two teams conclude the three-game series Sunday at Jaroschak Field, with a noon start time.
