BUFFALO, N.Y. - For the second day in a row, the Niagara baseball team scored double-digit runs. And for the second day in a row, it wasn't enough in an 18-17, 10-inning loss at Canisius on Wednesday.

The Purple Eagle bats continued to be hot in the second-straight slugfest, including slugging a season-best three home runs. Two of the long balls came from freshman slugger Ryan McCauley, but the other came off the bat of an unlikely source, senior pitcher Dennis Chachko.

McCauley finnished the day with a career-high eight RBIs after a second-inning grand slam and a sixth-inning three-run shot. He also singled home a run in the seventh.

With Niagara clinging to a 16-15 lead with one out in the bottom of the seventh and Canisius threatening, head coach Rob McCoy pulled pitcher Brian Deering for Chachko. In doing so, he had to remove a position player, and his bat, after losing the designated hitter during the Deering switch in the previous inning. Chachko retired the next two batters without allowing a run, but was due up second in the eighth.

In his first career at bat, Chachko drilled a 2-1 pitch to deep left center field for a no-doubt home run. The 6-foot-6 righthander gave Niagara a 17-15 lead and was mobbed at home plate.

An error by the third baseman with two outs in the bottom of the eighth allowed another Canisius run to score, inching the Griffs closer at 17-16. A leadoff walk came around to score to knot the game at 17 in the bottom of the ninth. Steve McQuail hit his second home run of the game, a leadoff walk-off blast in the 10th for the Canisius win.

Niagara collected 14 hits and was issued eight walks en route to its 17 runs. McCauley led the way with a 3-for-6 effort and eight RBIs. Seniors Matt Wietlispach and Jason Cramer and sophomore Adam Wagner each added two hits in the loss. Seniors Trevor Rutkowski and Timothy Cozier each added two RBIs, while Wietlispach scored four times.

The Purple Eagles head to Lafayette for a non-conference three-game weekend set on Saturday and Sunday. Wednesday's game can be seen on tape delay on Time Warner SportsNet Buffalo (local ch. 13) on Thursday at 8 p.m.