Junior Andrew MacNevin |
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (20-25) travels to Buffalo Tuesday for a 4:30 p.m. non-conference game against Big 4 rival the University of Buffalo (15-30-1) at Amherst Audubon Field.
The Purple Eagles are coming off a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference series with Rider in which they won two of the three games. The Bulls have lost six of their last seven games, including the three-game series with Central Michigan this past weekend.
Entering the UB game, Niagara has three players — Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.), Andrew MacNevin (St. Catharines, P.E.I.) and Andrew MacDonald (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) — batting over .300.
Alati leads the team with a .340 batting average and .516 slugging percentage this season. He also has a team-leading 54 hits and 14 doubles to go with 27 runs and 25 RBI.
MacDonald, a freshman infielder, is second on the team with 29 RBI, batting .324 with nine stolen bases. He was named the MAAC Rookie of the Week for the second time this season after he hit .700, going 7 for 10 with six runs, two triples, a home run and five RBI in two games vs. Rider.
MacNevin, batting .315 with a .405 on-base percentage, leads the team with six home runs. In 43 games, he has 13 doubles, 26 RBI with 25 runs scored.
Junior Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y.) leads the Purple Eagles with 30 RBI while hitting .286.
Starting on the mound Tuesday for Niagara is freshman Mark Wilson (Peterborough, Ont.). The right hander is 1-1 on the season with a 7.50 ERA in 11 appearances and three starts. The remainder of the Purple Eagles pitching lineup will be a predetermined rotation.
Buffalo also has three players hitting .300-or-better. Rookie Mike Folli is hitting a team-best .359 with a squad-leading 60 hits.
Junior James Kingsley is batting .316 with 56 hits, a team-leading 12 doubles, 12 home runs and 47 RBI. He also has a .588 slugging percentage and 104 total bases.
Senior Phil Vanhorne is hitting .306 and is second on the squad in stolen bases with five.
On the mound for Buffalo will be senior Anthony Marchioli. The left hander has a 7.91 ERA and 0-1 record in 13 appearances. He has thrown 19.1 innings allowing 17 hits and 18 runs while walking 18 and striking out 24.
Niagara leads the 2005 series with Buffalo, 2-1. The Purple Eagles swept a doubleheader at Sal Maglie Stadium on April 12 with wins of 2-1 and 4-3 (10). At the Big 4 Classic at Dunn Tire Park April 27, the Bulls bested Niagara, 10-3.
