NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – The Purple Eagles saw their five-game win streak over the Buffalo Bulls come to an end with a 9-1 loss in the early game but got started on a new one with a come-from-behind 4-3 win in the late game of the twin-billing on Tuesday at Sal Maglie Stadium.
 
Game One
The highlight of the afternoon was redshirt-senior Ryan McCauley reaching the 200-hit milestone.  Not to be overshadowed, hit number 199, a double to right-center field, brought in a RBI in the bottom of the first to give the Purple Eagles (16-32) the early 1-0 lead and account for the only scoring through the first three innings.  Kody Kasper (0-3) sat the Bulls (27-19) down in order in the first and gave up a single hit in each of the next two innings. 
 
The big one, hit 200, came in the bottom of the sixth when McCauley stepped to the plate as the first batter up in the inning and sent a single to center field.
 
“This achievement is a testament to Ryan’s tireless work toward being the best he can be,” head coach Rob McCoy said.  “He has always gone above and beyond what’s asked of him, and being one of the best hitters in Niagara baseball history is a byproduct of that.  I am immensely proud of him.”
 
The first baseman joins Mike Alati (’06), Josh McCurdy (’03), and Reed Eastley (’05) in the 200-hit club.
 
Buffalo was able to take the lead with a three-run top half of the fourth and padded it with six more runs in the sixth.
 
Kasper took the loss after giving up six runs, five earned, on eight hits with six strikeouts through five innings.  McCauley was a perfect 3-for-3 with the RBI in the first. 
 
Game Two
The Purple Eagles struck first four the ninth-straight game as Jordan Schwartz roped a single to center field and brought Thomas Rodrigues  who led-off with a double down the left-field line, around to score in the first inning.  They doubled their lead to 2-0 in the third as Robert Hansen walked, stole second, advanced to third on a fly-out, and scored on a Schwartz single to left. 
 
The Bulls scratched one across in the fourth to cut the deficit in half, then took a 3-2 lead with a pair of runs in the sixth.
 
Not fazed but the new deficit, McCauley and Schwartz led off the home half of the frame with singles and freshman Greg Rodgers moved them both up 90 feet with an immaculate bunt that died halfway down the third-base line.  Michael Fuhrman entered the game as a pinch-hitter and hit a ball deep into the hole at second to score McCauley, get Schwartz to third, and tie the game at three.  Pavel Chavez-Rusova, another freshman, was the one to bring in the winning run as the catcher drove a double to deep left field and gave.
 
Geoff Soja (2-2) worked through a battle with the first batter in the seventh but sat the side down in order to give his team the 4-3 win.  Anthony Caringi, who also started against Buffalo back in April, threw 5.1 innings and gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits and struck out four.  Schwartz went 3-for-3 and collected the pair of RBIs.
 
Niagara is back on the field this Friday at 7:00 p.m. when they take on Canisius in the opening game of a three-game set.