Jersey City, NJ - Niagara baseball earned a doubleheader sweep 11-9, 12-8 against Saint Peter's Friday afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action.

The Purple Eagles improved to 18-15-1, 14-6 MAAC, while the Peacocks fell to 4-34, 0-20 MAAC.

Game One

Niagara got things started in the top of the first with a four spot started by a double to center field by Rees Kozar to score Tyler Vivacqua. Kozar and Noah Konings then scored on a Saint Peter's arrow, while Jason Green capped things off with an RBI double to plate Curtis McKay.

The lead did not last long however, as the Peacocks scored five in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by a home run off the bat of RJ Azarieh.

Niagara starter Reuben Malamed lasted 0.1 innings, before Luke Glenn came in for relief.

Saint Peter's added to their lead in the second with two more runs on a sacrifice fly and a balk to make it a 7-4 game.
The Purple Eagles got back on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth with a solo homer from Kozar. 

Glenn went five innings with two strikeouts before giving way to Jack Dickinson to finish out the sixth.

Niagara regained the lead in the top of the seventh, plating four runs. Konings doubled to left field to score Shawn Cameron, followed by a groundout from Kozar that plated Vivacqua. McKay singled to right field allowing Konings to come home for the lead, while McKay stole home to give the Purple Eagles a 9-7 lead.

Nate Bennett came in relief in the bottom of the seventh after Dickinson's scoreless sixth inning with one strikeout.

The Peacocks answered once again, scoring on a fielder's choice and an RBI single from Louis D'Alessio to knot the game up at nine.

Jacob Brooks gave the lead back to Niagara in the top of the eighth with a single that scored Matthew Ganschow. Green scored on a wild pitch in the ninth to give the Purple Eagles an insurance run.

Bennett earned the save with three innings with two strikeouts to give Niagara a 11-9 victory.

Game Two

Saint Peter's capitalizied early sccoring five runs in the bottom of the first. . A two-RBI double by Alex Manent highlighted the outburst.

Niagara got on the board when Curtis McKay launched a solo home run cutting the deficit to 5-1. The Peacocks answered with a run of their own in the bottom half, pushing the lead back to five at 6-1, when RJ Azarieh scored on a Bobby Lavely sacrifice fly.

Niagara erupted for three runs in the top of the fifth to make it a 6-4 ballgame. Matthew Ganschow singled and Nate Milk followed with a two-run home run. Jason Green then drove in McKay with a groundout RBI to pull the Purple Eagles within three. Saint Peter's responded with a Bobby Lavely solo shot in the bottom half to restore the three-run cushion at 7-4.

Saint Peter's plated one run in the bottom half on an Allen Ramos RBI single off reliever Hayden Morrison, making it 8-4.

Brooks delivered a two-run single up the middle scoring Ganschow and Green, cutting the deficit to two at 8-6 in the sixth.

Niagara took its first lead of the game in the top of the seventh. Ganschow singled home Nick Cote to make it 8-7, and Milk delivered the go-ahead blow with a two-run double, scoring Ganschow and Green to push Niagara ahead 9-8.

Niagara put the game away with three more runs in the top of the eighth. McKay singled home Kozar, Ganschow reached on a fielding error that scored another run, and Milk capped the frame by drawing a bases-loaded walk, extending the lead to 12-8.

Game Notes

Niagara is now 59-16 all-time against Saint Peter's

Konings tallied five hits between the two games

Five Purple Eagles recorded three hits in the nightcap

Ganschow recorded a career-high three base knocks in the nightcap

Malamed tallied his first collegiate win in game one

Kozar is on a 12 game on-base streak

Brooks extended his on-base streak to 16 games

Up Next

Niagara wraps up the three-game conference series against Saint Peter's Sunday April 26 at noon.