Norfolk, Va.—The Niagara baseball team opens its season on Friday afternoon with a pair of games against Norfolk State. In game one the Purple Eagles fell 8-5 to the Spartans. In the second game of the twin bill, the Purple Eagles earned its first win of the 2023 season with a 6-1 win.
Game One Recap (L, 8-5)

• The Spartans came firing right from the start as they scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning. They added another run in the bottom of the second inning to make it 5-0 after two full innings.
• In the top of the third inning, the Purple Eagles started to generating some offense. Kelly Corl notched his first hit as a Purple Eagle on a bunt single. Brady Desjardins was then hit by a pitch to put two runners on with no outs. Nick Groves then loaded the bases as he walked. After a strikeout, Cole Tucker hit a sac fly to left and Corl scored the first run of the season.
• The Purple Eagles cut into the Spartan lead once again in the fifth inning. Desjardins opened the rally with a double before Groves singled to put runners on the corners. Cole O'Conner then drew a walk to load the bases. Tucker stepped to the plate and pulled one through the left side that drove in two runs to make it 5-3. Josh Marchese then drew a walk to load the bases once again. Matt Ward then drove in a run the hard way as he want hit by a pitch to drive in the fourth Purple Eagle run.
• Norfolk State responded in the bottom half of the inning as they scored twice to make it 7-4.
• Neither team scored again until the bottom of the seventh when the Spartans made it a four run lead.
• In the top of the ninth, Ward drove in Nate Milk who pinch ran for O'Connor following a leadoff walk, Milk then stole second and then advanced to third after the pitcher tried to pick him off. Niagara's comeback came up short as they could not generate any other runs.

Game One Notes

• Ryan Minckler made his Purple Eagle debut on the mound as he went four innings and recorded three strikeouts and six flyouts.
• Marty Cole came out of the bullpen and pitched a scoreless inning and a half while having a strikeout.
• Zac Laird opened his sophomore season with a scoreless inning out of the pen while notching his first strikeout of the season.
• Tucker finished the games with three RBI, while Ward notched two RBI.
• Corl impressed in his Purple Eagle debut as he went 2-4 at the plate and scored a run.

Game Two Recap (W, 6-1)

• The two teams were locked in a pitchers duel in the first four innings as Marcus Cashman toed the rubber for the first time this season. Cashman earned his first win of the season as he went five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits. He had seven strikeouts in his first outing of the season.
• The Purple Eagles struck in the top of the first inning. Desjardins earned a six pitch one out walk to get a runner on. Groves singled five pitches later to runners on first and second. After a strikeout, Tucker came to the plate. On the second pitch he saw he doubled down the left field line which brought both runners home. On the play Tucker moved to third on a throwing error. After a pitching change, Tucker came home for the third Purple Eagle run.
• Niagara extended its lead in the top of seventh inning as Josh Marchese reached on an error that brought Ward home.
• Norfolk State got a run back on a triple in the bottom of the eighth, the Purple Eagles limited the damage as the allowed the lone run.
• Niagara opened the ninth inning by loading bases with no outs after a Spartan error, a single and a hit by a pitch. After a Niagara strikeout, Max Giordano stepped to the plate and drove in two runs with a single through the right side.
• Zach Cameron came in for the eighth and nine innings and was nearly perfect. He allowed a run on just two hits. He record six strikeouts as he picked up his first save of the season.

Game Two Notes

• Steven Hospital came in for 1.1 innings and had three strikeouts while not allowing a hit. Cole made his second appearance of the day and got two groundouts against the two batters he faced.
• Both Ward and Tucker scored two runs while Tucker drove in two runs and had two hits.
• Niagara had just one extra base hit in the game but and had five singles.
• The Purple Eagle pitchers had 16 combined strikeouts.

Niagara Notes

• It is the first time since 2020 season that the Purple Eagles won a game on opening day. That season, Niagara played just 16 games as the season was cancelled due to COVID-19.
• The Purple Eagle pitching staff had 23 strikeouts on the day while limiting the Spartans to five extra base hits. Niagara allowed just one in the second game.
• It is the first time in his collegiate career that Cashman won his first start of the season.
• Six Purple Eagles had hits on the day with five of the six having two or more.

Up Next

• The Purple Eagles have Saturday before playing the rubber game on Sunday against Norfolk State, first pitch is slated for noon.