NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – In a nearly identical afternoon from the first doubleheader in Olean, the Niagara Purple Eagles fell in game one before a tie in game two against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies on Tuesday afternoon at Bobo Field.
Game OneThe Bonnies (11-9-2) scored four runs in the top-half of the first to open an early lead in the first game. Niagara (6-17-2) answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead in half.
Tanner Kirwer led-off with a single to left field and advanced on a passed ball before he was moved to third on a groundout.
Michael Fuhrman drew a one-out walk and advanced to second, while Kirwer came home, on a passed ball. Fuhrman came home on a sacrifice-fly by
Thomas Rodrigues that made it a 4-2 ballgame.
The Bonnies added two runs on two hits and an error in the third and another run on three hits in the top of the sixth to go up 7-2.
Niagara added one more run in the bottom of the ninth.
Julian Gallup got on base with an infield single before Kirwer drew a walk to put two men on with one out in the inning. Both runners advanced on a passed ball and Gallup scored when
Owen Dziados hit a sacrifice-fly to center field to being the game to its 7-3 final.
Tyler Saundry took the loss after pitching the first inning. Both Fuhrman and Gallup went 1-for-2 with a run.
Game TwoNiagara scored in the bottom of the seventh inning to force a 3-3 tie in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader.
SBU scored a run on a two-out single to take a 1-0 lead, but NU responded immediately with a run of its own when
Daniel Procopio was able to bring
Anthony Firenzi in from third to tie the game at 1-1.
Niagara again responded after St. Bonaventure scored two runs on two hits in the third. Kirwer got on base after getting hit by a pitch, stole second, and stole third to move 90 feet from home plate. Fuhrman got him the rest of the way with a double to center field to cut the lead to one, 3-2.
The score remained a one-run lead until the bottom of the seventh.
Taylor Hackett drew a walk and advanced to third on a pair of passed balls. Kirwer came to the plate with one out and tied the game at 3-3 with a sacrifice fly to center field. The game was called on account of darkness after the final out was recorded.
Mac Curran started on the mound and gave up three runs on five hits with eight strikeouts through six innings. Procopio went to the mound and gave up one hit and fanned one in the final inning. Firenzi led the team with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. Kirwer, Fuhrman, and Procopio all drove in a RBI.
The Purple Eagles are back on the road this weekend when they travel to Poughkeepsie for a three-game set against the Marist Red Foxes.
