SPARTANSBURG, S.C – A strong offensive showing by the freshman and four quality innings from the bullpen wasn’t enough as the Purple Eagles closed out the Courtyard by Marriot Cllassic with a 7-4 loss to the Wofford Terriers on Monday afternoon.
 
“We played better today,” head coach Rob McCoy said.  “We are searching for an identity at this point.  Despite the lopsided scores, I am seeing some really good things.”
 
Logan Linder got the Purple Eagles (0-4) on the board with a RBI single in the third inning.  With the Terriers (3-0) leading 1-0, Ryan McCauley and Christian Vangeison hit back-to-back singles before Linder collected his first collegiate RBI, scoring McCauley and tying the game at 1-1.
 
After Wofford added four runs in the bottom of the third, Pavel Chavez-Rusova brought Niagara back within three with some heads-up base running.  The freshman reached on wild-pitch third strike, stole second, then advanced two more bases on wild pitches to make it a 5-2 game. 
 
Chavez-Rusova put Niagara on the board again two innings later.  Facing a 7-2 deficit in the top of the sixth, the catcher sent a two-run homerun down the left field line to again cut the deficit to three, 7-4.  The bullpen shut the door down the stretch, with Sean Quinlan and Jordan Schwartz combined to pitch four shutout innings, but that was as close as the Purple Eagles would get as the Terriers came away with a three-run win.
 
Both Logan and Chavez-Rusova went 1-for-3 at the plate and combined for three RBIs.  Vangeison, who was named MAAC Rookie of the Week on Monday, went 2-for-4 to finish with his first multi-hit game of the year.  Anthony Caringi (0-1) started the game for NU and took the loss.
 
The Purple Eagles are back in action this Friday when they travel to Cookeville, Tenn. to play Tennessee Tech in a four-game series.