NIAGARA UNIV, N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles nearly completed a comeback in the opener before taking game two 7-1 against the State University of New York at Buffalo Bulls on Tuesday afternoon at Bobo Field.
 
Game One
Michael Fuhrman led the team with three RBIs while Tanner Kirwer and Anthony Firenzi turned in three hits each in the 13-12 loss in game one.
 
Freshman Zach Glowacki kept the Bulls (12-26) off of the board through the first two innings and allowed his team to take a 4-0 lead into the third. Firenzi collected his first hit of the game to open the second inning, stole second, and came home on a double from Joel Brophy. Taylor Hackett reached on an error to put two runners on for Nick Bernick who singled to center field and plated both. Thomas Rodrigues drew a bases-loaded walk later in the frame to give the Purple Eagles (11-23-2) the four-run lead.
 
The State University of New York at Buffalo pulled away with 12 runs on seven hits and three errors over the third and fourth innings to build a 12-4 lead. Niagara responded immediately with a five run inning of its own in the fourth. Fuhrman and Firenzi hit back-to-back RBI-singles to cut into the lead and leave the bases loaded. Hackett stepped to the plate and cleared the bases with a double to bring NU within three, 12-9.
 
After the Bulls scored a run in their half of the fifth, the Purple Eagles climbed even closer with a pair of their own in the bottom of the inning. Kirwer hit a two-out solo homerun to left field for the first run of the frame. Rodrigues walked, stole second, and scored on a Firenzi single to bring NU within 13-11.
 
NU came within one run in the last of the seventh when Fuhrman brought Kirwer around to score with a single and one out on the board. That was as close as they would get as the game came to a close with a 13-12 final.
 
Game Two
The Niagara offense kept rolling and the defense stepped up in game two as the Purple and White came away with a 7-1 win to close out the day.
 
Bernick turned in a game-high two RBIs in a 2-for-2 afternoon at the plate and Tyler Saundry picked up the first win of his collegiate career.
 
It was Bernick that got the offense started with a RBI-single in the second inning that scored Christian Vangeison. A batter later and with the bases loaded, Tanner Kirwer laid down a sacrifice bunt that brought Hackett across the plate and gave his team a 2-0 lead.  
 
The Bulls scratched a run across in the top of the third, but that was the extent of their offense. Dienston Manuela started the game and gave up the lone run on three hits over the first two innings. Saundry pitched the final four innings out of the pen and gave up just one hit to earn the win.
 
Fuhrman homered to left field to lead off the bottom of the third before Bernick added his second RBI of the game with a single to left center that extended the lead to 4-1. Firenzi doubled home a run and scored on a passed ball in the fourth to give his team a five-run lead, 6-1. Hackett manufactured a run in the fifth that gave Niagara its final 7-1 lead after he walked, stole second, and scored on a wild pitch.
 
Neither team found their way on the board in the sixth and the game was called due to darkness.
 
The Purple Eagles go back on the road for a three-game set this weekend against the Quinnipiac Bobcats. Saturday's doubleheader begins at noon.
 
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