NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – In one of its final non-conference games of the 2005 season, the Niagara University baseball team (16-22) hosts the University of Pittsburgh (22-15) at Sal Maglie Stadium, in Niagara Falls, N.Y., Wednesday at 3 p.m.
The Purple Eagles look to build off their three-game sweep of Manhattan College in Wednesday’s game against the Panthers. With the sweep of the Jaspers, Niagara moved into fourth place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings, looking to finish the regular season among the conference’s top four teams and advance to its third-straight MAAC Tournament.
Heading into Wednesday’s game, two Niagara players -- junior Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) and freshman Andrew MacDonald (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) -- have batting averages of .300-plus.
Alati leads the Purple Eagles with a .329 batting average and 24 runs scored. His 13 doubles rank among the MAAC leaders, registering 22 RBI with four home runs.
MacDonald continues his hot streak of late, batting .513 in the last 10 games with a team-leading 12 RBI and 10 runs scored. In 35 games this season, MacDonald has 20 RBI and a .314 batting average.
Junior Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y.) leads the Purple Eagles with 24 RBI.
On the mound, senior Chris Cerchie (Lasalle, Ont.) gets his third start of the season. With a 2-0 record and a 6.00 ERA in 11 appearances, Cerchie struggled against Pittsburgh earlier this season. The senior allowed five hits and four earned runs in an inning, as Niagara lost to the Panthers, 12-0, March 29 at Trees Field.
Pittsburgh enters Wednesday’s game off a three-game sweep of West Virginia, in which the Panthers outscored the Mountaineers, 25-12, in the series.
Junior outfielder Ben Copeland and sophomore infielder Jm Negrych lead the Panthers from the plate, batting .387 and .383, respectively.
Copeland leads the Big East with 22 stolen bases, ranking among the conference leaders with 45 runs scored. In 36 games, Copeland has 30 RBI.
Negrych leads the Panthers with 40 RBI and seven home runs. In the March 29 game against the Purple Eagles, he led Pittsburgh with three RBI, going 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a two-run home run.
Getting his team-leading ninth start of the season, sophomore Paul Nardozzi has a 3-4 record and 4.79 ERA.
Wednesday’s game can be heard live on the official website of Niagara University athletics, www.PurpleEagles.com, with proceeds from the broadcast going to the Niagara baseball program.
Admission to Wednesday’s game is $2 for adults and $1 for children (12-and-under). Niagara University students are admitted free of charge.
