Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NIAGARA UNIV, N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles split Wednesday's doubleheader against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies to take 3-of-4 games against the Little Three rival this season.
 
Game One
Cody Eckerson gave up three hits over six innings to collect his third win of his collegiate career and second this season over the Bonnies (7-17) in a 2-0 win in the opener.
 
The Niagara (9-19) freshman only let three baserunners get past first base while he kept St. Bonaventure off of the scoreboard and allowed the Purple Eagles to build a 2-0 lead. Joel Klock got his team on the board in the bottom of the first when his fly ball to left scored Anthony Firenzi from third. Firenzi led off the sixth with a double to center field and scored NU's second run of the game on a SAC-fly from Greg Rodgers.
 
Kevin Lucas came out of the bullpen in the seventh and an unearned run cut the lead to 2-1, but the freshman got three-consecutive outs to end the game and pick up his first career save.
 
Firenzi went 2-for-3 at the plate and Eckerson struck out eight batters through his six innings of work.
 
Game Two
Niagara came back from an early deficit, but a big third inning from St. Bonaventure was too much to overcome on the way to a 12-7 loss in the final game of the series.
 
A homerun in the top of the first gave the Bonnies a quick 2-0 lead, but NU responded in the bottom of the second and took the lead. Rodgers led off the inning with a single through the left side and moved to third on a double from Pavel Chavez-Rusova. Hayden Coll came to the plate with one out and doubled in a pair of runs to tie the game. Two batters later, Firenzi singed in a run then forced a throwing error when he stole second that scored another run and gave Niagara a 4-2 lead heading into the third.
 
After a 10-run third inning gave the visitors a 12-4 lead, NU started chipping away in the fourth. Doubles from Mark Meisner and Rodgers got the Purple Eagles within 12-6. They scored one more run in the seventh, but the rally ran out of time and the Bonnies came away with a 12-7 win.
 
Anthony Caringi started on the mound for Niagara and gave up seven hits and was charged with four earned runs in the loss. Firenzi again went 2-for-3 at the plate while Coll led the team with two RBIs.
 
The Purple Eagles resume MAAC play this weekend when they host the Fairfield Stags at Bobo Field. The series gets started with a Saturday doubleheader that begins at noon.