POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Senior hurler Michael Kellar (Colifax, Ill.) improved to a perfect 6-0 in conference play as the Niagara baseball team (14-7 MAAC) defeated Marist (12-9 MAAC), 5-4, on Sunday in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Junior Matt Wietlispach (Chicago, Ill.) knocked in a career-high four runs in the victory.

The crucial conference game came down to a thrilling ninth inning, where NU freshman closer Adam Wagner (Defiance, Ohio) was forced to deal with a little adversity while trying to escape his second jam of the afternoon.

After getting a fly-ball out in the eighth inning, leaving runners at second and third, Wagner found himself in a ninth-inning situation. The rookie allowed a leadoff double before Marist's Jon Schwind executed a perfect drag bunt to put runners at the corners.

Ricky Pacione stepped into the box and smashed a line drive off Wagner's pitching arm. The Red Foxes cut the deficit to 5-4 on the play, putting runners on first and second with no one out.

Wanger remained in the game, induced a double play and struck out Ben Luderer on a nasty slider in the dirt to end the game with the tying runner left stranded on third base. Wagner earned his fifth save of the season, pitching 1.1 innings on the afternoon.

"This series exemplifies all the work that we put in, both mentally and physically, throughout the year," Niagara head coach Rob McCoy said. "Late in the season, you need to reach down deep and find out what you are really made of, and we did that (Sunday)."

Kellar tossed 7.1 innings to improve to 6-0 in MAAC play. the left-hander scattered eight hits, allowing three runs, two earned, while striking out four. After allowing an unearned run in the third, tying the score 3-3, Kellar stifled the Red Foxes, giving up just four hits until being pulled with one out in the eighth.

"Kellar gave us another fantastic start, just like he has all season long," McCoy added. "He is quietly making a strong case for MAAC Pitcher of the Year."

Wietlispach put the Purple Eagles ahead 3-0 with a two-out, two-run single in the second inning. The left fielder brought home senior backstop Matt Lucchesi (San Francisco, Calif.) in the fourth inning to break a 3-3 tie. Another two-out base hit, this time a doube to left center, advanced the Purple Eagle lead to 5-3 in the sixth inning.

Wietlispach finished the contest 3-for-5 with four RBIs. Sophomore Brian Deering (Springfield, Va.) also collected three hits, scoring once and knocking in Niagara's first run of the afternoon.

The Purple Eagles conclude the regular season with a Tuesday non-conference matchup against Duquesne at Sal Maglie Stadium, before a MAAC three-game set at Canisius on Thursday and Friday.