Lawrenceville, N.J.—The Niagara baseball team secured a series win and improved to 13-2 in MAAC play on Sunday with a 15-10 win over Rider on the road.
How it Happened
The Niagara bats were awake from the start of the game as Nick Groves opened the game with a single and stole second. Brady Desjardins drew a four pitch walk to put runners on first and second. Eric Rataczak came to the plate and blasted a three-run homer down the right field line to give Niagara a 3-0 lead. After a strikeout, Kelly Corl was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Nick Monile then drew a walk to put a pair of runners on with one out. Vincent Mauro then reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs Rees Kozar reached on an error that brought home Corl with the fourth Niagara run.
Rider answered in the bottom half of the first as they tied the game at four. After keeping the Purple Eagles off the board in the second, the Broncs put up another four runs to take an 8-4 lead.
Kozar opened the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run to left field.
Niagara took another notch out of the Rider lead as the Purple Eagles cut the lead down to 8-6 as Monile drove in a run on a groundout.
The Purple Eagles took the lead back in the top of the sixth inning. After an out, Matt Ward drew a walk, after a strikeout, Desjardins drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Rataczak singled a 0-2 pitch to center to bring home Ward from second to make it a one run game. On the very next pitch, Gavin Schrader singled to left center to bring home Desjardins with the game tying run. Corl was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Niagara took a 9-8 lead as Rataczak came home on a wild pitch.
Rider once again responded in the bottom of the seventh as they tied the game nine.
With the game tied at nine, Schrader stepped to the plate in the top of the eighth with one out. After taking a first pitch strike and swinging though the second pitch, he worked the count to 2-2. On the 2-2 pitch he drove a changeup over the right centerfield wall to give Niagara a 10-9 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, Rider once again answered to tie the game at 10.
Mauro led off the top of the ninth inning with a no doubt solo homer to left field to give Niagara an 11-10 lead. On the next pitch, Kozar singled to right field. Ward then moved Kozar over to second back with a sacrifice bunt. Groves and Desjardins drew back-to-back one out walks to load the bases. Rataczak then drew a five pitch walk to bring home the 12th Niagara run. Four pitches later, Schrader doubled to right center to bring home a pair of Niagara runs to make it 14-10 Niagara. Two pitches later, Corl drove in Rataczak from third with a sacrifice fly to make it a 15-10 Niagara lead.
Carter Fink pitched the ninth inning for the Purple Eagles and needed just seven pitches to close out the game for the Purple Eagles.
Niagara Notes
· Ryan Minckler took the mound in the second inning and went 5+ innings while allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out five batters in the outing while producing seven flyouts and three groundouts.
· Steven Hospital and Noah Richardson combined for an inning pitched as Hospital got out one and Richardson closed out the inning.
· Liam Reynolds picked up his second win of the season as he pitched the eighth inning. He allowed one run on two hits while getting two flyouts and a groundout.
· Fink got back-to-back groundouts to open the ninth and ended the game with a strikeout as he pitched the ninth inning.
· Niagara had 12 hits in the game, Groves, Rataczak, and Schrader each had three hits in the game. It is the eighth time this season that Rataczak had three hits in a game, the sixth time Groves had three hits in a game, and the fifth time that Schrader had three hits in a game this season. Kozar had two hits in the game for his 11th multi hit game of the season.
· Rataczak drove in five runs in the win. It is the second time this season that he has driven in five runs in a game. He has 14 multi-RBI games this season.
· Schrader drove in four runs; it was his ninth multi-RBI game this season and his second game with four or more RBI.
· Desjardins drew three walks while also scoring three runs.
· All nine Purple Eagles reached base at least once while eight of the nine scored a run.
· Groves is currently on a five-game hitting streak while he had reached base in 15 straight games. Desjardins has reached base in 16 straight games for the Purple Eagles.
· Niagara hit four homers in the win, the Purple Eagles are 9-1 this season when they hit two or more homers.
· It is the 12th time this season that Niagara has scored 10 or more runs. Niagara is 12-0 in those games.
· Niagara won its fifth MAAC series of the season and are tied for first place in the MAAC with Fairfield. The Purple Eagles have won eight series' this season.
· Against Rider, Groves led Niagara with a .462 average while going 6-13 from the plate with two walks. Schrader went 5-13 with two homers, five RBI, and three extra base hits.
· It is the first time since the 2019 season that Niagara has won a road series against Rider.
· Niagara has 26 wins this season and is three wins away from tying the Niagara record for wins that was set in 1975 when Niagara won 29 games.
Up Next
The Purple Eagles play a non-conference game against St. Bonaventure on Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 3 PM. The Purple Eagles do not travel outside of Western New York for the rest of the season as they play one game against Bonaventure in Olean, a home series against Quinnipiac and Fairfield. Niagara also has home non-conference games against Le Moyne and St. Bonaventure. Niagara closes the regular season in Downtown Buffalo for a three-game series against Canisius.
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