NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – The Purple Eagles took the conference-leading Rider Broncs into extras in the opener but dropped both games of their doubleheader Saturday at Sal Maglie Stadium.
 
Game One
The opener was a pitcher’s duel that went deep into extra innings.  Ryan McCauley got the Purple Eagles (15-30, 9-11 MAAC) started in the bottom of the first with a double to right field that gave NU the 2-0 lead over the Broncs (29-17, 13-4 MAAC).
 
Kyle Olver kept the visitors off of the board and gave up just four hits through the first six innings.  A two-RBI single in the seventh tied the game at 2-2, where the game would stay until the 13^th.  Olver finished the game with 8.1 innings pitched, eight hits, two runs, and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 6-1. 
 
A RBI-double to right-center field in the 13^th inning gave Rider the 3-2 win.  Geoff Soja (1-2) took the loss despite a solid outing where he gave up just the one run on three hits and struck out six while not issuing a walk.  McCauley finished the game 2-for-3 with three walks. 
 
Game Two
The second game started off much like the first, except instead of a double, McCauley put Niagara on top 2-0 with a two-run homerun to right.  The senior finished the second game 4-for-4 at the plate with the two RBIs and three runs scored.
 
His second run of the ballgame came in the bottom of the third when, down 9-2, Niagara began a rally to get within three.  McCauley, Jordan Schwartz  and Joel Klock hit back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases for Greg Rodgers.  The freshman didn't let the opportunity go to waste and doubled to right to bring in Schwartz and McCauley. Kevin Paulsen followed up with a SAC-fly that brought the score to 9-5.
 
NU added another run in the fourth as McCauley and Schwartz again hit consecutive singles.  The first baseman scored on the next play as a hard hit ground ball from Klock forced an error and cut the score to 9-6.
 
That was as close as the hosts would get as the Broncs added to their lead in the fifth and sixth to come away with the 16-6 win.
 
Schwartz (3-5) who got the start, as well as designated hit, took the loss.  Both Schwartz and Klock finished 2-for-3.
 
These teams are back on the diamond tomorrow at noon for the third and final game of the series.  There will be a Senior Day ceremony to commemorate the 2013 senior class before the first pitch.