Niagara senior co-captain Mike Alati posted two RBI in Sunday's contest |
RIVERDALE, N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team concluded its season-opening 25-game road trip Sunday with a 16-4 defeat at the hands of Manhattan. The loss moved the Purple Eagles behind the Jaspers in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Confernce standings, as they now have a 12-13 record on the year and a 4-2 mark in the conference. Manhattan jumped to 11-9 overall and 5-1 in the league.
The Purple and White used seven different pitchers in the game, while its bats posted five hits compared to the Jaspers’ 16.
Niagara got a runner to third in the opening inning when sophomore Andrew Macdonald (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) ripped a double to right center and stole third with two down. However, the Purple Eagles could not bring him all the way around against starter Jesse Darcy for the early lead. The Jaspers did, though, grab the lead themselves in their half care of a walk, two errors, three stolen bases a wild pitch and a passed ball vs. Niagara sophomore Mark Wilson (Peterborough, Ont.) to plate two runs. Manhattan took a 6-0 in the second, which included a two-out three-run double off the bat of Matt Rizzotti, causing senior Kyle Nicoletta (Oakville, Ont.) to come out of the bullpen.
Ryan Masters made it 7-0 in the third with a two-out RBI single on a 2-2 pitch, then Eric Nieto came through with another RBI single to force freshman Dennis Chachko (Oceanport, N.J.) to take the hill. A solo homer by Rizzotti in the fourth bumped it to 9-0. The Purple Eagles finally got on the board in the fifth thanks to senior Jeff Vincent (Baldwinsville, N.Y.). With one down, Vincent drove a single to center and promptly stole second and third. He touched home when junior Brian Clifford (Buffalo, N.Y.) got aboard on an error.
Junior Matt Ircandia (Clagary, Alb.) entered the game in the fifth to keep Manhattan from scoring for the first inning of the game. But the Jaspers got two more across in the sixth from a two-run home run by John Fitzpatrick off junior James Boyack (Buffalo, N.Y.).
Up 11-1, Manhattan loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh vs. freshman Jessel Mangal (Toronto, Ont.) and eventually scored five more runs. Niagara cut into the 15-run advantage by beginning the eighth putting three runners on with nobody away against reliever Joe Cullen. Senior Andrew MacNevin (St. Catherines, P.E.I.) earned an RBI with a sacrifice fly to center to score sophomore Tim Alberts (Baldwinsville, N.Y.), and senior Mike Alati (Woodbridge, Ont.) allowed two runs to score with a sharp single through the right side.
Freshman Chris Coleman (Pittsford, N.Y.) did come on in the bottom of the eighth and picked up two strikeouts in a solid inning of work. Niagara’s offense could not get any more across in the ninth to finish off the 16-4 loss.
Niagara opens its home season Tuesday when it hosts Buffalo at Sal Maglie Stadium at 4 p.m.
Game Notes R H E
Niagara 4 5 4
Manhattan 16 16 1
W: Jesse Darcy (1-2), 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
L: Mark Wilson (2-4), 1.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
