NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - The Niagara baseball team's playoff hopes came to an end with an 11-3 loss to rival Canisius on Friday at Sal Maglie Stadium. With the loss, Niagara finishes in fifth place with a 13-11 conference record.

A 5-3 contest in the ninth inning turned into an 11-3 final when Canisius posted six runs on just two hits, ending the playoff hopes for the Purple Eagles. Niagara had trailed 5-1 and rallied for a pair of runs in the sixth to make a game out of it before the bullpen faltered late.

Senior Trevor Rutkowski collected three hits in the loss. He singled up the middle in his first two at bats and lined a single to left field in the seventh. Classmate Jason Cramer scored twice, once on a wild pitch in the second. He also scored along side of Brian Deering on a two-run double by Adam Wagner.

Senior Bill Rafferty kept Niagara in it, allowing four earned runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings of work. Dennis Chachko pitched 2.2 innings of relief work without allowing a hit. It was his 80th career appearance, one off the school record.