NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - The Niagara baseball team pounded out 42 runs in a doubleheader sweep of conference foe Iona on Saturday in New Rochelle, N.Y. The Purple Eagles improved to 6-2 in MAAC play with the wins.

Niagara took the first game 20-4, and then needed extra innings for the third time in its last five games to win the second contest, 22-15. The Purple Eagles trailed 15-12 heading into the final inning, but rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to knot the score and used the ol' hidden ball trick to escape a jam in the bottom of the inning and force extras. NU then scored seven times in the top of the ninth to earn the sweep.

Seniors Jason Cramer and Matt Wietlispach shined at the plate in the wins. Cramer reached base 11 times in 14 plate appearances, including all seven times in the first game, while scoring six times and knocking in three. He went 4-for-4 in game one, with four singles, two walks and a hit by pitch.

Wietlispach combined to go 4-for-10 with six runs and seven RBIs in the sweep. He belted his team-best seventh home run, a grand slam in the top of the ninth of game two.

Rookie catcher Wes Walker went 3-for-4 in game two, including his first career home run, a grand slam in the first inning. He scored twice and knocked in a career-best six runs.

Trailing 15-12 in the top of the seventh of game two, Wietlispach and Stephen Smith drew back-to-back walks to start the frame. Wietlispach scored on a throwing error by the catcher during a double steal, and Trevor Rutkowski brought Smith home with a sacrifice fly to left, bringing NU closer at 15-14. Rookie Ryan McCauley then doubled to right, and with two outs, Brian Deering singled home the first baseman to tie the score at 15-15.

In the bottom of the frame, the Gaels No. 3 and 4 hitters both singled with one out, looking for late-game heroics. With runners at the corners, senior hurler Dennis Chachko and cather Walker called for the intentional walk. When the runner at third took a lead, Rutkowski, who still had the ball in his glove at third base, tagged the runner out for the second out of the inning. Chachko then struck out the final batter to force extras.

In the top of the ninth of the scheduled seven inning game, Niagara used three singles, three walks, an error and a grand slam by Wietlispach to take a commanding 22-15 lead. Iona loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but Geoff Strong struck out the final batter for the sweep.

Daniel Morari recieved 20 runs of support in the first game to earn his first win of the conference season, and Chachko collected his second victory of MAAC play, pitching two innings of scoreless relief in game two.

'The two teams complete the three-game series on Sunday at noon.