Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. – Ryan McCauley hit for the cycle to lead Niagara (5-6) to a 10-9 victory over the Longwood University (9-4)on Friday  in the first game of its four-game series at Bolding Stadium.
 
McCauley got his first RBI of the afternoon in the top of the third inning when he drew a bases-loaded walk to score Evan Wexler and tie the game at 1-1.  Longwood came back in the bottom of the inning to take its final lead of the game on a RBI single to pull ahead 2-1. 
 
Back-to-back home runs in the top of the fifth put Niagara in the lead for the first time.  Eric Hink sent a two-run shot to left before McCauley followed suit with a solo homer to left-center.  Later in the inning, Evan Wexler collected one of his two hits with a RBI double down the right field line to give the Purple Eagles a 5-2 lead, a lead which they would never surrender.
 
“We hit and played defense extremely well today,” said head coach Rob McCoy after earning his 50^th career win as a manager in Division I.  “Our pitching battled through some tough innings and Longwood fought us hard.  That was a good win for our guys.”
 
The Purple Eagles padded their lead in the seventh inning when McCauley got the first of back-to-back doubles to start the inning and was brought around to score by Joel Klock’s double to right field.  Niagara scored four runs on six hits to extend the margin to 9-3. 
 
The Lancers did not fade away and in the bottom of the seventh with two out on the board, Longwood hit four-consecutive singles and drew a walk to cut the deficit to 9-7. 
 
The Purple Eagles scored what would become the winning run in its half of the eighth when , after McCauley completed the cycle with a lead-off triple, Wynton Bernard brought him home with a sacrifice fly to give Niagara the 10-7 lead. 
 
Londwood made one final attempt at a rally in the bottom of the ninth.  Down three runs, and with one out left in the game, it strung together a single, a walk, and a two-RBI double to come within 10-9 but that was as close as it would get.  Kody Kasper earned the save when he came in and forced the only batter he faced to fly out to right field and give Niagara the 10-9 win.
 
McCauley led the way offensively for Niagara with a game-high four hits and a walk to go along with two RBIs and three runs scored.  Drew Fittry earns the win after giving up three runs over five innings.
 
Niagara is back in action tomorrow when it plays two against Longwood, with first pitch of game one is scheduled for one pm.