NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Scoring a combined 17 runs in two games, the Niagara University baseball team (5-17, 3-3) swept the doubleheader against Iona College (4-20, 2-5) Saturday at Bobo Field.
The Purple Eagles defeated the Gaels, 8-5, in Game 1 of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader, completing the Saturday sweep with a 9-3 win in Game 2.
"This is a big series for us," Niagara head coach Chris Chernisky said. "We’ve been close in both conference and non-conference games. With today’s sweep of the doubleheader, we should be able to climb over some teams (in the MAAC standings)."
Niagara was led by the bat of junior first baseman Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y.) in Saturday’s doubleheader. Solini went 4-for-8 in Saturday’s two games with two runs scored and a team-high five RBI.
Junior outfielder Jeff Vincent (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) had three RBI and two runs scored, with a two-run home run in Game 2 of the doubleheader.
Game 1 - Niagara 8, Iona 5
After falling behind, 5-3 in the seventh inning, Niagara scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to capture the 8-5 comeback victory.
In the five-run seventh inning for the Purple Eagles, junior Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y.), along with Solini and Vincent each had RBI-singles, scoring four runs and giving Niagara a 7-5 lead. Vincent scored the final run of the game, crossing home while junior Matt Schaefer (Clifton Park, N.Y.) was caught in a rundown between first and second.
Junior Mike Radanovic (Surrey, B.C.) picked up the victory, pitching an inning of relief, giving up no runs and striking out three. Junior Kyle Nicoletta (Oakville, Ont.) earned the save, allowing one hit in his 1 2-3 innings to close the game.
Niagara starter Dan Griffin (Schenectady, N.Y.) pitched 6 1-3 innings, striking out nine batters and allowing six hits.
Game 2 - Niagara 9, Iona 3
Sophomore Josh Sawatzky (Altona, Man.) allowed six hits and three runs in a complete-game effort, earning his first win of the season.
After allowing a run in the first inning off a double by Iona senior Matt Bruno, Sawatzky (1-4) did not allow a run in the following five innings, striking out five in the win.
Although scoring nine runs against the Gaels, only two Niagara players, Solini and Vincent, had RBI’s in the win. With Iona having five errors, four of the nine Niagara runs were unearned.
In the fifth inning, with the Purple Eagles leading 4-1, Solini highlighted his day with an inside the park home run, aided by a fielding error by Gaels centerfielder Dan Rodriguez. After Solini hit a sharp single to center field, Rodriguez misjudged a hop and allowed the ball to roll to the wall in deep center field. Due to the error, Solini had time to round third base and score, giving Niagara a 6-1 lead, with junior Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) also scoring.
Chernisky is confident his team, if able to duplicate the effort in Saturday’s sweep, can accomplish its overall goals for the 2005 season.
"Our goal the rest of the way is to win two out of three or sweep on the weekends," Chernisky closed. "If we can play like we did today, our goal is achievable."
The two teams conclude the three-game series Sunday at Bobo Field, with game time set for noon.
