LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Senior righthander Bill Rafferty tossed eight innings of one run ball and improved to 2-0 in conference play as the Niagara baseball team took its second-straight MAAC series victory with a 4-1 win over Siena on Saturday.

Despite a shaky Niagara defense in the first four innings, the poise of the senior pitcher was the story of the afternoon. The Purple Eagles committed five fielding miscues in the first four frames, but Rafftery held the Saints offense off the scoreboard. In three of those innings, Rafferty struck out the last batter of the inning to end the threat.

"We gave a total team effort this weekend, and although it wasn't pretty at times we played hard, fought and got some breaks," Niagara head coach Rob McCoy. "That is a huge series win for the program and every weekend that we play like that puts us that much closer to achieving our goals."

The Purple Eagle offense finally broke through in the sixth inning, as Siena's errors were more costly on the scoreboard. NU scored four unearned runs with two outs in the frame, two coming when freshman catcher Wes Walker reached on a bases loaded throwing error by the Siena shortstop, and two more coming on a Brian Deering single and a throwing error by the Siena third baseman.

Rafferty posted zeroes through the first seven innings, as the NU pitching staff held Siena scoreless through 18 innings, dating back to Friday's game. Rafferty allowed a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to end the string.

The Saints threatened in the first five innings, but in the fourth and fifth innings Siena had a chance to break the game wide open, but Rafferty escaped a bases loaded jam in both cases.

In the fourth, after a routine groundout, an error and a walk put the Purple Eagles on their heels. Rafferty scooped up a ground ball hit right back to the mound, and when he turned for the inning-ending double play, the middle infielders had a miscommunication on who should take the throw and everyone was safe. After Coach McCoy had a brief huddle on the mound, Rafferty calmly struck out the next two batters, one swinging and one looking after falling behind 3-0.

In the fifth, after getting two quick outs, the middle of the powerful Saints offense collected back-to-back singles and loaded the bases on a walk. Rafferty again escaped the jam on a lazy fly ball to right field.

In the sixth, Niagara loaded the bases with two outs on a walk and a pair of singles. Walker slapped one to short, and freshman Ryan McCauley and senior Jason Cramer came around to score on a play that should have ended the inning. Deering then stepped in and singled to third, as senior Timothy Cozier scored on the RBI and Walker came around on a throwing error by the third baseman.

Rafferty tossed eight innings, allowing one run on nine hits. He struck out four and walked two. Senior Geoff Strong came in a pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save of the season. Cramer and sophomore Stephen Smith each had two hits on the afternoon.

Niagara returns home for its home opener on Wednesday, April 7 for a 3 p.m. contest against St. Bonaventure at Sal Maglie Stadium.