Niagara University, NY - Niagara baseball swept Battle of the Bridge rival Canisius in a doubleheader 6-4, 6-5 Saturday afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at Bobo Field.

The Purple Eagles improved to 13-15, 9-6 MAAC, while the Golden Griffins fell to 10-18, 7-8 MAAC.

Game One

Canisius got out to an early lead in the top of the first as Thomas Zwirecki singled through the left side with two outs to score Owen Silliman.

The Golden Griffins doubled their lead in the top of the second when Eric Weeks singled to right center and scored on a Blake Herman two-out double to right center. 

Canisius once again doubled their lead in the next inning, pushing it to a four run deficit for Niagara. Brayden Hy singled to left field to score Justin Bremner and JC Spinosa.

Following a scoreless inning the Purple Eagles finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth as Shawn Cameron singled to move Matthew Ganschow to third and eventually score on a throwing error from the Golden Griffins.

Niagara knotted things up at four in the bottom of the sixth plating three runs. Rees Kozar got things started, hitting a double to bring home Noah Konings. Jason Green then registered a bases clearing triple to score Nick Cote and Kozar.

Purple Eagles starter Carter Fink's day ended after six innings as Jack Dickinson came on for the top of the seventh recording a scoreless inning.

Cote gave Niagara their first lead of the game in the bottom of the frame, singling to right field allowing Curtis McKay and Kozar to head home and give the Purple Eagles a 6-4 lead.

Nate Bennett relieved Dickinson in the eighth and recorded the two inning save striking out the Golden Griffins batters.

Game Two

Canisius started out the nightcap the same way, plating one run in the first as Weeks drew a bases loaded walk which allowed Bennett Cox to score.

Niagara responded in the bottom of the frame scoring four runs of their own. Konings got things started with a double to left center to plate Jacob Brooks. Kozar finished things off with a three-run shot to left field to score himself, Hammill and Konings.

After three scoreless innings from Purple Eagles starter Gage Wheaton the offense gave some more of a cushion as Brooks hit a ground-rule double to bring home Ganschow.

Hayden Morrison came in for the fifth with the bases loaded. Canisius capitalized with a single from Weeks that scored Thomas Zwirecki followed by another single from Mason Cisco that plated Weeks and Spinosa.

Eddie Dolansky came in for 1.2 innings of work in relief. The Golden Griffins knotted the game up at five in the top of the sixth with an RBI single from Cisco.

The tie was short lived as Niagara responded in the bottom of the frame once again to take the lead with a sac-fly from Hammill that brought home Shawn Cameron.

Nathan Harb registered 2.1 innings of relief striking out five while Andrew Damiani earned the save recording the final two out of the game to secure the 6-5 victory.

Game Notes

Niagara is now 120-130-1 all-time against Canisius

Bennett earned his first career save in game one

Brooks recorded three base hits for the fifth time this season

Harb struck out a season-high five batters

Up Next

Niagara stays at home for another three-game conference series, this time against Marist beginning Friday April 17 at 3:00 pm.