NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Entering the stretch run of the 2005 season, the Niagara University baseball team (17-22, 10-6) embarks on one of its most important road series of date, traveling to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference leader Marist College (21-16, 15-3) Saturday and Sunday at McCann Field, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Wins against the first-place Red Foxes in the three-game series can spur the Purple Eagles in the MAAC standings, in which the top four teams advance to the conference tournament, May 26-28 at Dutchess Stadium, in Fishkill, N.Y.
Riding a four-game winning streak, which includes a sweep of Manhattan College last weekend, Niagara looks to continue recent success against Marist in this weekend’s series.
The Purple Eagles have won the last three games against the Red Foxes, including a 7-3 win in last season’s MAAC Tournament, May 28, 2004.
Junior Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) leads the team with a .329 batting average and a .521 slugging percentage. His 24 runs scored is among the MAAC leaders, with 22 RBI and four home runs.
Leading the Purple Eagles with three RBI in the 8-3 win over Pittsburgh Wednesday, freshman infielder Andrew MacDonald (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) is second on the team with 23 RBI and a .320 batting average. MacDonald leads the team with nine stolen bases this season, with an on-base percentage of .394 and 19 runs scored.
Junior Mike Medici (Latham, N.Y.) leads the team with 25 RBI, while junior Andrew MacNevin (St. Catharines, P.E.I.) is the team leader with five home runs.
Starting on the mound in Saturday’s doubleheader is junior James Avery (Moose Jaw, Sask.) and sophomore Dan Griffin (Schenectady, N.Y.) in Games 1 and 2, respectively.
Avery (3-3) leads all Niagara pitchers with a 3.59 ERA, starting 10 games with 63 strikeouts. Griffin (2-4) leads the MAAC with 77 strikeouts, starting eight games with a 5.04 ERA.
Sophomore Josh Sawatzky (Altona, Man.) starts Sunday’s single game. This season, Sawatzky (4-4) leads the team in innings pitched (65.2) and wins (4), with a 5.07 ERA in nine starts.
Defeating Stony Brook, 4-3, Thursday, Marist enters this weekend’s series winning the last five games. The Red Foxes earned a three-game sweep of Canisius in last weekend’s conference series, outscoring the Golden Griffins, 43-20, in the series.
Leading Marist from the plate is sophomore Travis Musolf. The preseason All-MAAC outfielder stands second in the conference with a .368 batting average, leading the MAAC with 36 runs scored from the leadoff position. With 23 stolen bases, Musolf leads the MAAC in steals.
Senior Keith Brachold, batting .272 with a .430 slugging percentage, leads the Red Foxes with 38 RBI.
The probable starting pitchers for Marist in Saturday’s doubleheader are senior Chris Tracz and sophomore Erik Supplee in Games 1 and 2, respectively. Tracz (6-3) leads all Red Fox starters with six wins and a 3.55 ERA in 10 starts. Supplee makes his third start of the season Saturday. He is 4-2 in 15 appearances with a 4.37 ERA.
Starting Sunday’s game is junior Jonathan Smith, who is 3-1 with a 6.27 ERA in 10 appearances.
Following the weekend series with Marist, the Purple Eagles hosts Rider in its final home series of the season, April 15-16, at Sal Maglie Stadium. The series marks the final home games for seniors Reed Eastley (Brandon, Man.) and Chris Cerchie (Lasalle, Ont.), who have been part of the Niagara team for the past four seasons.
