Senior Reed Eastley was 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles Friday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team (23-26, 16-9) earned a berth into the 2005 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament when it beat cross-town rival Canisius College (9-38, 5-21), 12-1, Friday afternoon at Demske Sports Complex.

The Purple Eagles’ seeding for the championship will be determined following the completion of regular-season play Saturday.

Niagara pounded out 20 hits on the day and was led by senior Reed Eastley (Brandon, Man./Neelin) who was 3 for 5 with three runs, a RBI and a pair of doubles. Also collecting three hits on the day were juniors Dan Parsons (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool), Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont./St. Michael’s) and Paul Solini (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool), and freshman Andrew MacDonald (Charlottetown, P.E.I./Charlottetown).

On the mound, sophomore Josh Sawatzky (Alton, Man./W. C. Miller) picked up his fifth win of the season throwing a four-hit, one-run game. Junior Mike Radanovic (Surrey, B.C./L.A. Matheson) collected two innings of work.

Niagara opened the scoring with three runs in the second inning. Eastley doubled to left field, scoring junior Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y./Shaker), and Alati scored on a double by Solini. Eastley would later score when junior Jeff Vincent (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) hit into a fielder’s choice. The Purple Eagles scored two runs in the fifth and put the game out of reach with a five-run eighth inning.

Canisius’ lone run came in the third inning when Matt Mazurek scored on a Niagara throwing error.