Niagara University, N.Y.—The Niagara baseball team fell in a midweek non-conference game against Le Moyne on Tuesday at Bobo Field. The Purple Eagles fell 17-10 to the Dolphins.
How it Happened
The Dolphins opened the game by scoring four runs after a hit and Niagara error.
Niagara got a run back in the bottom of the first. Kelly Corl notched a one out single and then stole second. Eric Rataczak then drew a walk to put runners on first and second with one out. Gavin Schrader grounded a 0-1 pitch to the second basemen, after getting an out at second base the Le Moyne shortstop committed a throwing error to allow Corl to come around to score.
Le Moyne added to its lead in the top of the second inning. The Dolphins took a 7-1 lead after two Niagara errors.
The Purple Eagles started a comeback in the bottom of the third inning. Corl opened the inning with a single which was followed by a Rataczak homer to center field to make it a 7-3 Le Moyne lead. Schrader then singled to restart the rally, after a strikeout, Rees Kozar singled to left center to put runners on first and second. A groundout moved runners to second and third for Tommy Takayoshi, Takayoshi put the ball in play and Le Moyne committed an error to allow the fourth Niagara run to score.
In the bottom of the fourth the Purple Eagles completed the comeback. Nate Milk opened the frame with a solo homer on an 0-2 pitch. Corl then singled which was followed by a Rataczak double to right field, Corl was held at third but came across to score on an error at the end of the play. After a pitching change, Schrader was hit by a pitch. After a strikeout, Kozar came to the plate and blasted a three-run homer over the left field wall to give Niagara a 9-7 lead.
Le Moyne opened the top of the fifth inning with a solo home run to cut the Niagara lead to 9-8. The Dolphins tied the game in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly with one out in the inning.
The Dolphins took the lead back in the top of the seventh as they used three hits to take an 11-9 lead. Le Moyne added to its lead in top of the ninth by adding six runs on four hits to take a 17-9 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Rataczak roped a double to right center to bring home Corl from second for the 10th Niagara run of the game.
Niagara Notes
· Corl went 4-6 at the plate while coming around to score four runs. It was his second four hit game of the season with the other coming against UNC-Asheville on Mar. 9. Corl has 11 multi hit games this season.
· Rataczak went 3-4 with three RBI and a homer while also scoring twice and drawing two walks. He is leading the MAAC in hitting with a .418 average. He now has 58 RBI this season which is the second most in a single season in program history. He is just five RBI away from tying Josh McCurdy who had 63 in 2003. Rataczak has notched three or more hits in 12 games this season while having 23 multi-hit games.
· Kozar went 3-5 with a homer, three RBI, and a run scored. He is hitting .309 this season as a freshman which is 19th in the MAAC.
· As a team, Niagara is hitting .305 which is second in the MAAC. Five Purple Eagles are in the top 20 in the MAAC in hitting this season.
· It is the 12th time this season that Niagara has hit two or more homers.
· Niagara outhit its opponents for the 27th time this season.
· The Purple Eagles scored 10 or more runs for the seventh time this season.
Up Next
The Purple Eagles return to Bobo Field on Friday to open their final home series of the season. Niagara takes on Fairfield in a three-game set, both teams are 16-2 in MAAC play in 2024 and are tied atop the MAAC standings. First pitch on Friday is slated for 3 PM.
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