Wappingers Falls, NY - Niagara baseball fell to Fairfield 9-2 in an elimination game in the MAAC Tournament Friday night at Heritage Financial Park.
Niagara starter Gage Wheaton three of the first four batters he saw and Elijha Hammill made a flying catch in center field to keep Fairfield off the board in the first two innings.
For the first time this tournament the Purple Eagles struck first, plating a run in the bottom of the second on a double steal from Tyler Vivacqua and Rees Kozar.
The lead did not last long however as the Stags responded in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Stephenson followed by an RBI double from Kucizk to take a 2-1 lead.
Nathan Harb came in for relief with two outs in the third. After Harb walked the bases loaded in the top of the fourth Eddie Dolansky came in and closed the door striking out Bucciero to end the inning.
Fairfield grew their lead by two in the top of the fifth starting with an RBI single from Nomura, followed by a sac fly off the bat of Scanlan to make it 4-1.
Niagara cut the Stags lead by one in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single from Hammill that scored Matthew Ganschow.
Hayden Morrison came on for the Purple Eagles in the top of the sixth. Fairfield tacked on two more runs on an error by Niagara, followed by a sac fly from Haarde to make it a 7-2 game.
Jack Dickinson came in for relief in the seventh and got out of the inning along with a scoreless eighth. Carter Fink threw the ninth for the Purple Eagles.
The Stags tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the ninth with an RBI double from Stephenson and an RBI single from Bucciero.
Game Notes
Niagara is now 28-54 all-time against Fairfield
Ganschow recorded his sixth multi-hit game of the season
Hammill ended the season on a 17-game hit streak
Kozar tallied his 23rd multi-hit game of the season with two base knocks
