Syracuse, N.Y.—The Niagara baseball team dropped a midweek non-conference game to Le Moyne on Tuesday in Syracuse. Niagara fell 9-4 to the Dolphins.
How it Happened
The Dolphins opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning as they scored a pair of runs on two hits.
Niagara got on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning. Jake Hutchins notched a one out single which was followed by a single by Nick Monile. With runners on the corners, Brady Desjardins grounded into a fielder's choice that brought home Hutchins with the first Niagara run.
The Purple Eagles tied the game at two in the top of the fourth inning. Jason Green roped a double down the left field line with one out. After a strikeout, Tommy Takayoshi singled home Green to tie the game at two.
A solo homer in the bottom of the fifth inning gave the Dolphins a 3-2 lead.
Le Moyne extended its lead in the bottom of the sixth inning as they scored three runs on three hits.
Niagara looked for a comeback in the top of the seventh as they chipped into the Le Moyne lead. Desjardins opened the inning with a single which was followed by an Eric Rataczak single to put runners on first and second. After double play wiped out Rataczak at first Reese Kozar and Matt Ward walked to load the bases. After a pitching change, Vincent Mauro singled through the left side and brought home a pair of runs to cut the Le Moyne to 6-4.
Le Moyne increased their lead in both the bottom of the seventh and bottom of the eighth as they took a 9-4 lead into the ninth.
Niagara loaded the bases in the top of ninth inning but could not make a comeback in the ninth.
Niagara Notes
· Niagara notched 12 hits as a team with three Purple Eagles having two hits. Rataczak and Kozar each went 2-4 while Hutchins went 2-5.
· All nine starters for Niagara notched a hit while all 10 batters reached base at least once.
· Rataczak notched his 18th multi-hit game this season. Kozar now has nine multi-hit games this season. It was Hutchins first multi-hit game this season.
· Mauro drove in two runs, it is the sixth time this season he has driven in multiple runs.
· Monile got on base twice in the game, he has now reached base safely in 20 straight games this season. Kozar has now reached base in 12 straight games, Desjardins has now reached base in 10 straight games.
· The Niagara pitching staff walked just four batters while combining for 11 strikeouts. Nick Veselinovic had four strikeouts while Carter Fink, Steven Hospital, and Noah Richardson each had two.
Up Next
The Purple Eagles return to MAAC play this weekend starting on Friday against Siena. Niagara and the Saints start the series at 3 PM in Albany with game two scheduled for Saturday at 1 PM before the series wraps up on Sunday at noon.
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