NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara Purple Eagles dropped Sunday's rubber match to the Monmouth Hawks 7-4 on Sunday afternoon at Bobo Field.
 
Scoreless through two innings, Monmouth (12-17; 6-6 MAAC) struck first with three runs in the top of the third. Niagara (9-20-2; 6-6 MAAC) responded in the bottom of the frame with RBIs from Anthony Firenzi and Christian Vangeison. Tanner Kirwer led off with a double to left field and came around to score two batters later when Firenzi doubled to left-center field. Firenzi then came around to score when Vangeison singled up the middle to bring the Purple Eagles within one, 3-2.
 
The Hawks added runs in the top of the fifth and sixth innings to take a 5-2 lead after 6.5 innings. It was in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings that Niagara rallied to cut the deficit to one. With one out in the seventh, Michael Fuhrman doubled to left field and came around to score when Firenzi drove him in with a double to right field.
 
Owen Dziados led off the bottom of the eighth with walk. Thomas Rodrigues singled to center field to score Trevor McCauley, who pinch ran for Dziados, and closed the gap to one run, 5-4.
 
That was all the Purple Eagles to muster while Monmouth tacked on two runs in the top of the ninth inning to take the game 7-4.
 
Liam Stroud started the game and took the loss for Niagara. Tanner Kirwer and Anthony Firenzi led the way on offense for the Purple and White with three hits each.
 
The Purple Eagles now head to Fishkill, N.Y. for a three-game series with the Manhattan Jaspers. A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday, April 25 with a single game set for Sunday, April 26. First pitch on both days is slated for 12:00 p.m.

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