NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – In a crucial Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference three-game series, the Niagara University baseball team (13-22, 7-6) hosts Manhattan College (17-13, 8-3) at Bobo Field Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s doubleheader is set for a noon start, with Sunday’s single game also scheduled for noon.
Standing fifth in the MAAC with three weeks remaining in the 2005 regular season, Niagara looks to move up in the conference standings against the third-place Jaspers of Manhattan.
Looking to lead the Purple Eagles in this weekend’s series are the starting pitching trio of sophomores Josh Sawatzky (Altona, Man.) and Dan Griffin (Schenectady, N.Y.), who start Games 1 and 2, respectively, along with Game 3 starter junior James Avery (Moose Jaw, Sask.).
Griffin (1-4) leads the MAAC with 68 strikeouts this season, with a 5.44 ERA in seven starts this season. Avery (3-3) is second in the conference with 60 strikeouts to his credit, leading all Niagara starters with a 3.68 ERA.
Sawatzky (3-4) has the most innings pitched of any Niagara pitcher (60.0), credited with a 5.55 ERA in his 12 appearances this season.
From the plate, junior Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) leads the team with a .328 batting average and a .527 slugging percentage this season. With a team-leading 22 runs scored, Alati has registered 13 of his 20 RBI in the last 10 games.
Junior infielder Andrew MacNevin (St. Catharines, P.E.I.) stands second on the team with a .312 batting average and a .523 slugging percentage. MacNevin leads the team with five home runs, recording 18 RBI in 33 games.
Freshman Andrew MacDonald (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) and junior Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y.) also head into this weekend’s series with .300-plus batting averages. MacDonald has a team-leading .500 batting average in the last 10 games, with Medici leading the team with 23 RBI in 33 games this season.
Winning three of five meetings with the Purple Eagles last season, Manhattan enters this weekend losing two of the last three games.
Prior to games against Columbia and Connecticut Wednesday and Thursday, the Jaspers had won five consecutive games, outscoring their opponents, 43-13 during the five-game winning streak.
Manhattan is led by freshman infielder Matt Rizzotti, who leads the MAAC with a .436 batting average and a .744 slugging percentage. Playing in all 30 games this season, Rizzotti has a team-leading 37 RBI and seven home runs, with a .515 on-base percentage.
Behind Rizzotti, two-time All-MAAC designated hitter John Fitzpatrick has 31 RBI this season with a .294 batting average and .560 slugging percentage.
On the mound, junior Chris Cody and sophomore Josh Santerre lead the team with eight starts apiece.
Cody has a team-leading 2.48 ERA with a perfect 6-0 record. This season, the junior pitcher has limited his opponents to a .217 batting average, while leading the Jaspers with 51 strikeouts.
Santerre has a 2.98 ERA with a 3-2 record.
This weekend is the first time the Purple Eagles face Manhattan since last season’s MAAC Tournament, in which the Jaspers eliminated the Purple Eagles with a 12-7 win, May 28, 2004.
