Live Stats: North Carolina Central | Live Stats: Western Carolina 

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - After a 1-3 weekend against Pitt, Ohio State and Toledo at the Historic Dodgertown Classic in Vero Beach, Fla. to open the 2016 season, the Niagara baseball team heads to North Carolina to take on North Carolina Central from Feb. 26-28 and Western Carolina on March 1-2.

On the Field: Niagara Purple Eagles (1-3, 0-0 MAAC)

• Senior second baseman Michael Fuhrman was named MAAC Baseball Player of the Week after a stellar performance at the Historic Dodgertown Classic. Over four games, Fuhrman went 8-for-14 at the plate and had a team-leading seven runs. He finished the weekend with a .625 on-base percentage and a .571 batting average.
• First baseman Christian Vangeison led Niagara with five RBIs; three of those RBIs came in a close 5-4 loss to Pitt in the final game of the tournament.
• Matt McCuen went 1-1 on the mound, earning a win against Toledo and recording a loss against Ohio State. McCuen pitched five innings and finished the weekend with a 5.40 earned run average.
• Zachary Kolodziejski pitched six innings for the Purple Eagles and finished with a team-best earned run average of 3.00.
• In the field, catcher Joel Brophy led Niagara with 30 putouts and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.

Against North Carolina Central (0-3, 0-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)

• The Purple Eagles last met with the North Carolina Central Eagles in February 2014. Niagara won three games of the four-game series (W 7-1, W 8-7, L 5-3, W 22-2).
• On Feb. 21, Fuhrman led the Purple Eagles to a 7-1 win; he went 3-for-4 at the plate, had two runs, one homerun and four RBIs.
• In Niagara's 22-2 win on Feb. 23, Greg Rodgers had four runs, four RBIs and two doubles. Hayden Coll had two runs, one homerun and four RBIs. Fuhrman had three runs and one RBI.

On the Field: North Carolina Central Eagles

• North Carolina Central opened its season with a three-game series against Morehead State; the Eagles lost all three games by scores of 4-1, 24-4 and 4-2.
• At the plate, the Eagles are led by center fielder Bryant Battle, who is 1-for-1 and has a perfect 1.000 batting average.
• Catcher Conrad Kovalcik is 5-for-10 at the plate and has a .500 batting average.
• On the field, first baseman Christian Triplett leads the Eagles with 30 putouts and a 1.000 fielding percentage.
• On the mound, Andrew Vernon has a 0.00 earned run average in 3.0 innings pitched.

Against Western Carolina (0-3, 0-0 Southern Conference)

• This is the first meeting between the Purple Eagles and the Catamounts.

On the Field: Western Carolina Catamounts

• The Catamounts opened their season with losses to UNC- Wilmington (15-2), Richmond (3-1) and St. John's (14-3).
• First baseman Caleb Robinson leads the Catamounts at the plate; Robinson is 2-for-5 and has a .400 batting average.
• Catcher Danny Bermudez leads Western Carolina on the field; he has 15 putouts and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
• On the mound, Bryan Sammons has a 1.29 earned run average in 7.0 innings pitched.

Looking Ahead

• Following their games against North Carolina Central and Western Carolina, the Purple Eagles continue their stay in North Carolina to compete in the USA Baseball Irish Classic.
• The other teams competing in the Irish Classic are North Carolina State, Alabama and Notre Dame.

Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and @NiagaraBASE. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.