POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Niagara baseball team (13-7 MAAC) scored a 12-6 victory in the opener of a conference doubleheader at Marist (12-8 MAAC) on Saturday to earn a split against the fourth place team in the MAAC. The Purple Eagles, who remain in second place in the conference, dropped game two 7-2.

Junior Marcus Spaulding (Copenhagen, N.Y.) earned the victory in the opener to improve to 4-5 overall. Freshman Joe Candelmo (Orefield, Pa.) allowed six runs in just 1.2 innings of work in the second game to fall to 3-6 on the season.

With a Saturday split, and a Canisius sweep of Fairfield, the crosstown rivals each sit at 13-7, tied for second place in conference play with four games remaining. The Battle of the Bridge rivals conclude the regular season with a three-game set at Demske Sports Complex.

Niagara 12, Marist 6
Spaulding cruised through the first three innings, after the Purple Eagle offense gave the right-hander a 6-0 lead. The Red Foxes fought back to get within a run, at 7-6, but NU plated five more runs in the eighth to earn its 13th conference win of the year.

Marist 7, Niagara 2
Timothy Cozier (Ajax, Ont.) scored both runs in the night-cap. The designated hitter reached on an error and scored in the second innings, and was brought home on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning after collecting a double to left field, one of just five Purple Eagle hits.

Marist put the game away in the second with five runs on six hits, chasing Candelmo and advancing its lead to 6-0.

The Purple Eagles and Red Foxes will play the rubber match of the three game set at noon on Sunday. Senior Michael Kellar (Colifax, Ill.) will put his perfect 5-0 conference record on the line against B.J. Martin. Click here for live stats.