Harrisonburg, Va.—The Niagara baseball team took the second game of a two game midweek series with an 8-5 win over James Madison.
How It Happened
The first three innings were scoreless before the Purple Eagles opened the scoring in the top of the fourth inning. Eric Rataczak roped a single through the right side with one out in the inning. Three pitches later Gavin Schrader homered to left center to give Niagara a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
Nick Groves opened the top of the sixth inning with a walk. Brady Desjardins followed the walk with a double to right field to put runners on second and third with no outs. Rataczak then grounded out to give Niagara a 3-0 lead. Schrader then drew a walk to put runners on the corners with one out. After a pitching change and a popout, Vincent Mauro doubled down the left field line that drove both runners home to make it 5-0.
In the bottom of the sixth JMU responded with a two run homer to make it a 5-2 game. Later in the inning they added two more runs to make it a one run Niagara lead.
Niagara responded in the top of the seventh inning as Jason Green homered for the first time in his career to make it a 6-4 game.
The Purple Eagles added to their lead in the top of eighth. Nick Monile reached on an error with two outs in the inning. On the very next pitch Kelly Corl homered to left center to make it an 8-4 lead.
James Madison added a run in the ninth but could not mount a comeback in the ninth.
Niagara Notes
· Liam Reynolds started on the mound and went 3.0 innings. He allowed just one hit while striking out two batters.
· Carter Fink pitched 2.1 innings and allowed just two runs on three hits while striking out one.
· Zach Cameron picked up his second win of the season as he pitched 3.1 innings while allowing one run on two hits. He struck out two batters while getting five flyouts and a groundout.
· Niagara had 11 hits in the game, it is the ninth time this season that Niagara has had more than 10 hits. In those games they are 7-2.
· Seven Purple Eagles had a hit while Schrader had three and Rataczak and Corl each had two.
· Schrader, Corl, and Mauro all had two RBI in the game.
· The Purple Eagles stranded nine JMU base runners throughout the game.
· Niagara has seven players hitting over .280 this season with four hitting over .300 and one hitting over .400.
· Rataczak is second in the MAAC in hitting as he is hitting .440 this season. Niagara has three players in the top 10 in the MAAC in hitting and five in the top 20.
· Cameron is currently tied with fellow Purple Eagle Maximilian Ramirez IV for seventh in the MAAC in ERA at 3.24. Opponents are hitting just .179 against Cameron which is the third lowest in the MAAC.
· This was the first time that the two programs have ever played each other.
Up Next
The Purple Eagles are back in action Friday as they open up the final road series of their spring break trip. Niagara travels to Maryland to take on Towson to open a three game set. First pitch for Friday is scheduled for 3 PM.
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