NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - The Niagara baseball team (12-9 MAAC) stayed alive in the MAAC playoff picture with a wild weekend sweep of Saint Peter's (6-18 MAAC) on Sunday, winning the finale, 9-8. Trailing 4-0 in the seventh inning, the Purple Eagles used a seven-run seventh to take the lead but still needed a walk-off single in the ninth inning for the win.

Freshman first baseman Ryan McCauley slapped a single to right field to score senior outfielder Matt Wietlispach in the bottom of the ninth. Wietlispach led off the inning with a line drive to right and advanced to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt by junior Cam Stykemain.

The victory moves Niagara into a three-way tie for fourth place in the MAAC. NU, Rider and Siena all sit at 12-9 with one series to go. Niagara owns the tie-breaker over both schools, thanks to a pair of 2-1 road series victories to start conference play.

"Today was a great day for the Purple Eagles," Niagara head coach Rob McCoy said. "I am so proud of this team and the effort they gave. We control our playoff destiny, and it's time for us to take the next step for this program."

The Purple Eagles struggled offensively through the first six innings. Saint Peter's starter Craig Hughes was dealing early on, striking out seven of the first 10 batters he faced. Niagara had just three hits in the first six frames.

But in the seventh, trailing 4-0, seven-straight Purple Eagles reached base safely with one out and all seven scored, turning the game in Niagara's favor. Jason Cramer started it all with a ground- rule double to left field, and after Brian Deering struck out but reached on a wild pitch, Timothy Cozier brought home Cramer with an RBI-sinlge to center.

Evan Wexler drew a full-count walk to load the bases and Adam Wagner crushed a double over the center fielder's head, scoring two. Wietlispach kept the hit parade going, tying the score at 4-4 with an RBI-sinlge to left. Stykemain gave NU the lead with a double to center field and Wietlispach scored on classmate Trevor Rutkowski's sac fly to center. McCauley doubled home Stykemain to cap the inning and give NU a 7-4 lead.

In the eighth, Deering scored an unearned run after reaching and advancing to second on a throwing error by the Peacock shortstop. He scored on Wexler's sac fly to give Niagara an insurance run it would eventually need.

Dennis Chachko, who pitched in the final inning of both games on Saturday pitched a scoreless eighth but ran into to trouble in the ninth. The senior righthander sandwiched a single between a pair of strike outs to start the frame. After a stolen base, SPC's Eric Mancini scored on a double by Justyn Carter. He scored on Conor Mullee's single to right making the score 8-6.

Chachko then induced a weak comebacker to the mound, but the fifth-year senior threw the ball away, allowing Mulle to score and SPC to inch within one. Mike LaCava tied the game with a single up the middle, and Geoff Strong came on and got out of a bases-loaded jam with a strike out of Cody Haack.

All of the comebacks overshadowed what started off as a pitcher's duel. SPC's Hughes finished with nine strikeouts and zero walks in the no decision. Niagara's Bill Rafferty set down the first nine Peacocks in order and allowed four runs, but just two earned, on five hits in seven innings of work. He was in line for the victory before Chachko blew the save in the ninth.

Niagara and Canisius will renew their rivalry with the regular season finale on Thursday and Friday at Sal Maglie Stadium. Thursday's doubleheader will begin at noon, and Friday's at one.