NIAGARA UNIV, N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles are back on the diamond this weekend for a four-game series against the North Carolina Central University Eagles beginning on Friday at 4:00 p.m.
 
Niagara (0-3) will hope to get more outstanding play from its pitching staff. Of the 24 innings against No. 5 Florida State last weekend, it held the Seminoles scoreless in 13 of them. NU also gave up 30 total runs over three games, but if you subtract the worst two innings, that number drops to 16 runs over 22 innings against a top-5 opponent.
 
Jordan Schwartz will lead off his the second consecutive series on Friday. Cody Eckerson, who will make his first collegiate start, and Liam Stroud get the nod in Saturday's doubleheader while redshirt-senior Drew Fittry will start Sunday's game.
 
All three pitchers who started last weekend (Schwartz, Stroud, and Fittry) had strong outings in their first starts of the season. Schwartz turned in a pair of scoreless innings and two of the five total runs he was charged with came with two outs on the board. Stroud made his first NCAA start and gave up just one run on three hits in his first four innings on the mound. Fittry, who was making his first start since early in the 2013 season, stole the show with 5.1 innings of no-hit baseball before being charges with two runs in the sixth inning.

Jacob Lysiak  was strong seeing action in relief, turning in 3.1 innings of work with just four hits and one run given up over two appearances.
 
Taylor Hackett is leading the way on offense after Sunday's game where he reached base all three times he went to the plate. The freshman went 2-for-2 with a walk.
 
North Carolina Central (0-1-1) opened the season with a 15-7 loss to Canisius and followed up with an 8-8 tie against Presbyterian College. The tie came after both N.C. Central and Presbyterian scored five runs in the eleventh inning to tie the game at 8-8 only to have the game called after scoreless 13^th.
 
Tyson Simpson is batting .750 to open the season, going 6-for-8 with two walks in two starts. Carter Williamson has the team lead with four RBIs. Both starters, Terry McNabb and Alex Dandridge, finished with no decisions after throwing three shutout innings with the bullpen getting charged for all 23 runs allowed this season.

The series begins with Friday's 4:00 p.m. contest. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and Sunday's fourth and final game starts at 12:00 p.m.