NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Purple Eagles baseball team begins the 2013 season this weekend when it heads south for a tournament hosted by the University of South Carolina-Upstate Spartans. 

"We feel really good about our pitching heading into this season," head coach Rob McCoy said.  "We have also added a number of very talented young players on top of those returning from last year." 
 
Friday’s Opening Day game is against the host Spartans at 4 p.m.  The Purple Eagles will send junior Drew Fittry to the mound to face Brandon Lee.  Fittry led Niagara’s rotation last season as the righty finished with a 4-3 record and a team-high 42 strikeouts.  The Spartans went 33-20 in 2012, including a 16-10 conference record that placed them second in the Atlantic Sun.
 
Saturday features a doubleheader with the Wofford Terriers.  Jim Fort and Anthony Caringi will start for Niagara while RHP Jesse Morris and RHP Luke Leftwich will throw for Wofford.  Fort, a senior lefty, pitched 51 innings last year with a 2.18 strikeout-to-walk ratio.  Right-hander Caringi finished the season with a 2-2 record.  The Terriers went 22-32 last season with a 1-0 record in neutral site games.
 
The Purple Eagles end the weekend with a Noon game against the University of Kentucky on Sunday.  The Wildcats had a 45-18 record last season and went 18-12 in the SEC.
 
Niagara returns four starters from the 2012 squad.  MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Ryan McCauley stays at first base. Junior Thomas Rodrigues, who started all 48 games last year, remains at shortstop and Evan Wexler slides back behind the plate.  Joel Klock, who was named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team, will take over in right field, moving over from left.