Box Score

RICHMOND, VA. – The Niagara baseball team (2-3) had an opportunity to come back in the ninth but fell short in the final game of its series against Richmond (2-3), falling to the Spiders 6-4 on Sunday afternoon. 
 
“I thought we played pretty tough today,” head coach Rob McCoy said, “however we, once again, gave up too many runs, both earned and unearned.”
 
The Purple Eagles stuck first in the top of the fourth when Ryan McCauley hit a solo shot to right field for his third homerun of the year to put Niagara up 1-0.  Richmond took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning but Niagara responded to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the third when Evan Wexler scored on a throwing error.
 
The Spiders were able to pull ahead to a 6-3 lead, scoring two runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth and three runs on three hits in the seventh. 
 
Niagara had a chance at a rally in the top of the ninth when Eric Hink led off the inning with his third hit of the afternoon, this time a single through the right side of the infield.  The Purple Eagles loaded the bases with a Jon Wilson single and Wexler reached on a fielder’s choice where Wilson was safe at second on a throwing error.  After two Niagara batters were forced into consecutive strikeouts, Adam Wagner recorded a two-out single to the short stop to score Hink and cut the deficit to 6-4. 
 
That was as close as the game would get as the Spiders ended the game with an unassisted out at third on a fielder’s choice to come away with the 6-4 victory.
 
“These guys are a determined group,” McCoy said.  “We will continue to improve on mistakes and forge ahead.”
 
Hink and Wilson both went 3-for-4 at the plate for Niagara.  Drew Fittry got the start on the mound and threw five innings, struck out six, and gave up three earned runs.  Connor Sullivan came out of the bullpen and received the loss.
 
“Overall, I thought we had a competitive weekend,” McCoy said.  “However, as a team we expect more out of ourselves.”
 
Niagara is back in action next weekend when they travel to Lewisburg, Pa. to take on the Bucknell Bison.  The series starts with a double header that begins at noon on Saturday.