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NIAGARA FALLS — A walk-off win secured baseball’s doubleheader sweep of Quinnipiac on Sunday.
Game 1: Niagara 10, Quinnipiac 2
A six-run first inning help lift the Purple Eagles (15-10, 6-2 MAAC) over the Bobcats (10-17, 3-5 MAAC), 10-2, in the first game of the doubleheader. In the bottom of the first, an RBI single from Peter Battaglia got Niagara on the board first. A score from Greg Cullen and an RBI double from Trevor McCauley put NU up, 4-0. A two-run homerun from Joel Brophy, his second homer of the season, gave the Purple Eagles a 6-0 lead over the Bobcats going into the second inning. In the bottom of the fourth, a score from Tanner Kirwer, who was batted in by Cullen, extended Niagara’s lead, 7-0. An RBI double and an RBI single from Brophy and Gallup, respectively, in the bottom of the seventh gave Niagara the 10-0 advantage over Quinnipiac. Though the Bobcats scored twice in the top of the ninth, they could not overcome the Purple Eagles lead. Brophy led Niagara with four RBI and three hits. On the mound, Cody Eckerson (4-1) struck out a season-high seven batters and allowed only one hit in 5.1 innings pitched.
Game 2: Niagara 2, Quinnipiac 1
The Purple Eagles took a quick lead in game two. In the bottom of the first, Cullen singled up the middle to score Kirwer and put NU up, 1-0. Quinnipiac answered quickly, tying things up, 1-1, in the top of the second. It was a defensive battle between the Purple Eagles and the Bobcats for the remainder of the game as both teams remained scoreless for the next five innings. In the top of the seventh, three quick outs kept the score at 1-1 to bring the game into the bottom of the seventh. With two outs on the board and runners at first and second, Owen Dziados singled down the left field line, scoring Gallup for the walk-off win. Cullen and Dziados had one RBI each and Kirwer and Cullen each had a team-high two hits. Daniel Procopio (4-2) pitched a complete game for the Purple Eagles. He struck out 11 batters, walked two and allowed only one run and three hits in 7.0 innings pitched.
The Purple Eagles close out their series with Quinnipiac on Monday. They host the Bobcats at Sal Maglie Stadium in Niagara Falls for a single game at noon.
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