Niagara University, N.Y.—The Niagara baseball team fell in its weekend opener to Fairfield on Friday afternoon. The Stags defeated the Purple Eagles 9-3 to open the weekend series.
How it Happened
The Purple Eagles struck first in the bottom of the first inning after the Stags went down 1,2,3 to open the game. Eric Rataczak blasted his team leading 13th homer of the season with two outs in the bottom of the first to give Niagara a 1-0 lead.
The Stags responded in the top of the second inning as they scored three runs on two hits with one being a three-run homer.
Fairfield scored five runs in the top of the third inning on the back of three hits and three walks to take an 8-1 lead after three innings.
In the top of the fourth, the Stags hit a leadoff homer to make it a 9-1 game.
Niagara scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Gavin Schrader notched a one out walk which was followed by a Vincent Mauro double down the left field line to put runners on second and third with one out. Rees Kozar was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. On a 1-2 pitch, Kelly Corl drove a ball to left field for a sacrifice fly to make it a 9-2 game. Three pitches later, Matt Ward doubled to left center to bring home Mauro from second to make it a 9-3 game.
Despite the two runs in the bottom of the sixth, Niagara could not mount any more of a comeback.
Niagara Notes
· The Niagara bullpen went seven innings on the day and allowed just one run on four hits while striking out seven.
· Blake MacMillan pitched the fifth and sixth innings while allowing just one baserunner on a walk. He struck out three in the outing.
· Carter Fink went 1.1 innings while allowing two hits while getting one flyout and two groundouts.
· Noah Richardson got a pair of strikeouts to end the eighth inning.
· Nick Veselinovic pitched a perfect top of the ninth by getting two flyouts and a strikeout.
· Mauro and Ward both had two hits in the game for the Purple Eagles. Nick Groves, Nick Monile, Rataczak, Kozar, and Brady Desjardins each had a hit in the game.
· Desjardins is now on a 21 game on base streak while Groves has reached base in 20 straight games.
· Niagara held Fairfield to just eight hits in the game, they have had eight or fewer hits in just 15 of 48 games this season.
Up Next
The Purple Eagles look to even the series on Saturday. Due to potential weather in the area, first pitch has been moved to 1 PM at Bobo Field.
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