NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara baseball team opens its 2018 slate with a three-game series at Longwood University Feb. 23-25.
Game Info
- Game 1 – Friday, Feb. 23 – 4:00 p.m. – Live Stats
- Game 2 – Saturday, Feb. 24 – 2:00 p.m. – Live Stats
- Game 3 – Sunday, Feb. 25 – 12:00 p.m. – Live Stats
Starting Rotations
Niagara
Longwood
- Game 1: LHP Steven Farkas (0-1)
- Game 2: LHP Michael Catlin (0-1)
- Game 3: RHP Cody Boydstun (0-1)
2017 In Review/Key Returners
- The Purple Eagles finished the 2017 season 24-24 overall, the sixth-best record in program history, and went 12-12 in MAAC play.
- Outfielder Trevor McCauley led the Purple Eagles at the plate, batting .367, which also led the MAAC. He finished the season with 55 hits, 24 runs, 29 RBIs and 14 doubles. At the conclusion of the season, he was named to the All-MAAC Second Team.
- Shortstop Greg Cullen, who was also an All-MAAC Second Team selection, finished the season batting a career-best .341. He recorded 62 hits, 30 runs scored and a career-high 33 RBIs and led the team in triples with three.
- Reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year Matthew Brash returns to the mound for the Purple Eagles. He finished 2017 with a 5-1 record, appearing in 17 games and starting in 10. He led the Niagara pitching staff in innings pitched with 77.1, struck out 63 batters and had two saves. He finished the season with an ERA of 2.79, which is the fifth-best in Purple Eagles history. Brash was also the first Niagara player ever to be named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
- Also returning to the mound for the Purple Eagles is Cody Eckerson, who compiled a 6-2 record in 2017. He fanned 50 batters in 55.0 innings pitched and his season ERA of 2.29 is tied for best in program history. He allowed only 21 runs, which was the fewest allowed in the MAAC, and he was the only MAAC pitcher to not allow a homerun for the entirety of the season. Eckerson was named to the All-MAAC First Team at the conclusion of the season.
- Other key returners for the Purple Eagles include first baseman Peter Battaglia and pitchers Nate Mascellino and Zachary Kolodziejski, who returns to the mound after missing the 2017 season due to injury.
Preseason Accolades
- Cullen and McCauley were both named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team.
- Niagara was picked to finish fourth overall in the Preseason Coaches' Poll and also received one first place vote.
On the Field: Longwood Lancers (0-3)
- The Lancers opened the season with a three-game series at Auburn, dropping all three games.
- Infielder Nate Blakeney leads Longwood at the plate, batting .300. He also has a team-best three hits and one RBI.
- Shortstop Eli Mercado has scored the Lancers' only run so far this season. He has one hit and is batting .125.
- On the mound, Steven Farkas (0-1) has thrown a team-high 5.0 innings and has fanned a team-best four batters. He has an ERA of 5.40.
Up Next
- The Purple Eagles will compete in the Army West Point Classic in Cary, N.C. March 2-4. Niagara faces Boston College on March 2 at 2:30 p.m., Army on March 3 at 4:00 p.m. and Bryant University on March 4 at 11:00 a.m.
