Niagara University, N.Y.—The Niagara baseball team notched its 21st win of the season and its eighth MAAC win of the season. Niagara defeated Mount St. Mary's 15-13 at Bobo Field on Saturday.
How it Happened
The Mount opened the scoring in the top of the first inning as they scored a pair of runs to take a 2-0 lead.
Niagara responded in the bottom of the first inning. Nick Monile walked to open the inning and then moved up to second on a groundout. Eric Rataczak stepped to the plate and blasted a two run homer over the left field wall to tie the game at two.
Mount St. Mary's responded in the top of the second inning as they regained a two run lead.
The Purple Eagles once again responded in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Nate Milk walked and then swiped second. On a 3-2 pitch, Monile homered to left center to tie the game at four. Brady Desjardins then drew a walk to start a one out rally. Following the walk, Rataczak stepped to the plate and blasted a no-doubter to center field to give Niagara a 6-4 lead.
In the top of the third inning, the Mountaineers scored a run to make it a one run game.
Neither team scored again until the seventh inning. The Mount took an 8-6 lead on a three-run homer in the top half of the inning.
Niagara once again responded in the bottom of the seventh inning. Desjardins and Rataczak drew back-to-back one out walks to start a rally. Vincent Mauro stepped to plate and roped the first pitch he saw to left field to bring home Desjardins to make it a one run game. After a strikeout, Rees Kozar hit a three-run homer to give Niagara a 10-8 lead. After a walk and a hit by a pitch, Nate Milk hit his second career homer to make it a 13-8 Niagara lead.
Mount St. Mary's added a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning to cut the Niagara lead to 13-10.
The Purple Eagles added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Rataczak opened the inning with a single. Following a flyout, Gavin Schrader drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Kozar then singled to load the bases. Two pitches later, Corl singled to left field and drive in a pair of runners to make it 15-10.
The Mount added three runs in the top of the ninth but their comeback came to an end as Kozar was forced to the warning track to make the final out in right field.
Niagara Notes
· Niagara improves to 8-0 in MAAC play for the first time in program history. The Purple Eagles are also 21-9 in their first 30 games of the season, that is the best start in program history.
· Steven Hospital came in from the bullpen in the third inning, he went one inning while not allowing a run on one hit. He struck out one.
· Ryan Minckler went 3.2 innings and allowed three runs while striking out five batters.
· Zach Cameron picked up his fifth win of the season. He went 1.1 innings while allowing two runs on two hits. He struck out one as he is now tied for the most wins in the MAAC.
· Liam Reynolds picked up his first save of the season as he pitched the final 0.2 innings for the Purple Eagles.
· Niagara hit five home runs in the game, it is the second time this season that Niagara has hit five or more home runs.
· Rataczak has now hit 10 home runs this season, it is the second time this season that he has hit two home runs in a game. He is third in the MAAC in homers.
· Rataczak went 3-4 and leads the MAAC in hitting as he is hitting .426 this season.
· Monile is second in the MAAC in hitting after going 2-4 on Saturday, he is hitting .419 this season.
· The Purple Eagles had 11 hits with Rataczak, Monile, Mauro, and Kozar all having multiple hits. Niagara is 16-3 this season this season when they have 10 or more hits.
· Niagara improves to 11-0 this season when they score 10 or more runs.
· As a team, Niagara drew nine walks while Desjardins drew three walks.
· Niagara leads the MAAC in hitting as they are hitting .318 this season.
Up Next
Niagara and Mount St. Mary's close out the weekend series on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 11 am at Bobo Field.
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