NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – Senior Ryan Virtue (Stittsville, Ont.) saved his best start for Senior Day at Sal Maglie Stadium, carrying a no-hitter into the eighth inning of a 10-0 shutout victory over Rider (18-17, 11-12 MAAC), Sunday. The win ended a 15-game conference losing streak for Niagara (14-29, 3-18 MAAC) in its final Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference home game.

Virtue finished with a one-hit gem with a career-high eight strikeouts, allowing just a leadoff, infield single in the eighth inning. The senior left-hander received help behind the plate from his classmate James Nikolaides (Dedham, Mass.), and he regained his composure and set down the next three batters in his final inning of work.

"It really felt great to pitch well on Senior Day," Virtue said. "James called a great game and I just hit my spots and got the job done. I have been working with James for the last four years, and I love to throw to him. To do it on Senior Day was just perfect."

The Purple Eagle bats gave Virtue plenty of run support in the first inning, sending 13 batters to the plate in the opening frame, scoring eight times. Eight of the nine starters scored a run in their first plate appearances, aided by four Bronc errors. Seven of the eight runs were unearned.

Freshman Jason Cramer (Jackson, N.J.) ledoff the bottom of the first with a double to left field, and knocked in two with a one-out single in his next at bat to make the score 8-0.

Four others chipped in with multiple-hit performances, as juniors Tim Alberts (Baldwinsville, N.Y.), Frank Kurnik (Reno, Nev.) and Andrew Macdonald (Charlotteville, P.E.I.) and freshman Timothy Cozier (Ajax, Ont.) each had two hits. Alberts also knocked in two runs in the victory.

Vitrue had four 1-2-3 innings, including the first two frames. He struck out two batters in the first, second and fifth innings. The senior walked one, hit one and had two batters reach on fielding errors in the first seven innings. Rider’s freshman outfielder Nick Wojnowski hit a 1-0 pitch deep in the hole and beat out the throw for the Broncs’ lone hit to leadoff the eighth inning. Freshman Geoff Strong (Welland, Ont.) pitched the ninth inning for the final three outs.

The Purple Eagles conclude the home portion of their schedule with a 3 p.m. game against Duquesne on Tuesday.