Harrisonburg, Va.—The Niagara baseball team opened a two-game set with James Madison on Tuesday. The game saw just three runs with the Dukes coming away with a 2-1 win on a walkoff.
How it Happened
The first hit of the game didn't come until the bottom of the second when JMU singled with two outs. The Dukes drew a two out walk but freshman Gage Wheaton got a strikeout to end the inning.
Rees Kozar got the first Niagara hit in the top of the third inning as he doubled to left center with two outs, however he was stranded at second.
Wheaton once again stranded a runner in the bottom of the third after a one out single.
Noah Richardson came out of the bullpen to start the fourth inning. He opened the inning with a flyout before the Dukes singled. With a runner on first, Richardson got back-to-back flyouts to end the inning.
Richardson worked out a second and third jam in the bottom of the fifth as he notched a strikeout and a groundout to first to end the inning with zeros still in the run column.
Ryan Minckler came into the game in the bottom of the sixth and got back-to-back outs. JMU then drew a walk and paired it with a single to put runners on the corners. After a steal of second, Minckler got a swinging strikeout to end the inning.
The Dukes opened the scoring in the bottom of the eighth as they pushed across a run with three hits.
Niagara responded in the top of the ninth as Eric Rataczak blasted his third homer of the season to tie the game at one.
James Madison came away with the 2-1 win as they drove in a runner from second with a single in the bottom of the ninth.
Niagara Notes
· Wheaton made his first career start and went 3.0 innings while allowing just two hits while striking out three.
· Richardson went 2.0 innings out of the pen and allowed just one hit while striking out a pair.
· Minckler pitched 2.1 innings while allowing one run on two hits while also striking out three.
· Kozar accounted for two of the five Niagara hits while Rataczak, Tommy Takayoshi, and Kelly Corl all had a hit.
· Nick Groves saw his 33 game on base streak come to an end.
· Brady Desjardins and Matt Ward each drew a walk.
· Niagara limited JMU to just two runs which is their second lowest number of runs in a game this season and the lowest amount of runs in a game against a non-Power Five team.
· Despite Niagara having just five hits against JMU, Niagara still leads in the MAAC in hitting with a team average of .298.
· Niagara's pitching staff has a 5.21 ERA which is the best ERA in the MAAC. Opposing hitters are hitting just .252 against the Purple Eagles this season.
Up Next
The Purple Eagles close out the midweek series with James Madison Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 4 PM.
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