BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles fell behind early and weren't able to get rolling in a 7-3 loss to the Siena Saints on Friday afternoon.
 
"The MAAC is a dogfight year in and year out, but Siena performed better when they needed it," head coach Rob McCoy said.
 
The Saints (1-17; 1-0 MAAC) were able to score one run in both of the first and second innings and took a 2-0 lead into the fourth inning until Anthony Firenzi manufactured a run to cut the deficit in half. The junior got on base to lead off the inning for Niagara (6-14; 0-1 MAAC), stole second, then advanced to third and scored on a wild pitch. 
 
Siena got back on the board with three runs in the fifth and another two in the seventh. Niagara put up a pair of its own in the eighth to cut into the lead. Firenzi singled and Michael Fuhrman got on base to put two runners on for Greg Rodgers. With two outs already in the inning, Rodgers singled to right to bring in Firenzi and Fuhrman and get NU within 7-3. 
 
That was where the score would stay as Siena came away with the 7-3 win.
 
Rodgers went 2-for-3 at the plate and collected two RBIs. Jordan Schwartz started on the mound for the Purple and White and pitched six innings and gave up five runs on five hits with five strikeouts in the loss.
 
"Our focus now shifts to tomorrow and the next game," McCoy said. "You have to learn from losses yet be able to flush them and attend to the next task at hand. We'll be better tomorrow."
 
These teams go head-to-head for a doubleheader tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for noon.