NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (16-22, 10-6) swept the doubleheader against Manhattan College (17-16, 8-6) Monday at Bobo Field, completing the three-game sweep of the Jaspers in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference series.
Playing through multiple weather delays, including a two-hour delay in the top of the sixth inning of Game 2, Niagara earned a 7-4 win in Game 1, defeating the Jaspers, 4-1, in Game 2.
Pacing the Purple Eagles from the plate in the doubleheader was junior Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) and freshman Andrew MacDonald (Charlottetown, P.E.I.).
Alati, who went 3-for-6 with two RBI and one run scored, led Niagara with a .500 batting average in the two games, also leading the team with a .667 slugging percentage and .571 on-base percentage.
MacDonald recorded a team-leading five assists in the sweep, registering three RBI and one run scored. For the three-game series, MacDonald led Niagara with four RBI.
Following the three-game sweep, the Purple Eagles moved into fourth place in the MAAC standings with a 10-6 conference record.
Game 1 - Niagara 7, Manhattan 4
A four-run fifth inning led the Purple Eagles to the 7-4 comeback victory.
Trailing 4-3 in the fifth, MacDonald hit a two-run double to right center, scoring juniors Jeff Vincent (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) and Dan Parsons (Liverpool, N.Y.) and giving the Purple Eagles a 5-4 lead.
Later that same inning, Alati and junior Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y.) hit RBI-singles to extend the Niagara lead to three runs.
With his team leading 7-4, freshman Mark Wilson (Peterborough, Ont.) pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to earn his first-career save and secure the three-run victory.
Starting the game for the Purple Eagles, sophomore Dan Griffin (Schenectady, N.Y.) struck out eight and allowed five hits in six innings of work for the win. Griffin (2-4) continues to lead the conference with 77 strikeouts this season.
Manhattan starter Steve Bronder (3-3) allowed five hits and struck out five in the loss.
Game 2 - Niagara 4, Manhattan 1
Niagara jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, never trailing in the 4-1 win.
With two outs in the first, junior Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y.) hit an RBI-single to right center to score Parsons from third. Alati followed Medici with a double to the center field fence, scoring Medici and giving Niagara a two-run lead.
MacDonald registered his third RBI on the day in the fourth, extending the lead to three runs with a single to right that scored sophomore Brian Clifford (Buffalo).
After the lengthy weather delay in the top of the sixth, Clifford hit an RBI-double to left center to score Solini from second in the bottom of the seventh.
In relief of sophomore Josh Sawatzky (Altona, Man.), who pitched 5 2-3 innings for the win, juniors Mike Radanovic (Surrey, B.C.) and Kyle Nicoletta (Oakville, Ont.) combined to two-hit the Jaspers over the final 3 1-3 innings. Nicoletta struck out two in two innings for his third save of the season.
With little time to rest, Niagara continues its homestand Tuesday, hosting St. Bonaventure at Sal Maglie Stadium, in Niagara Falls, N.Y., at 4 p.m. This season, the Purple Eagles are 2-0 against the Bonnies, sweep a doubleheader April 19.
