NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — The Niagara baseball team earned a walk-off win in the second game of a doubleheader with Iona on Saturday to split the opening day series.
Game 1: Iona 10, Niagara 2
- The Purple Eagles (8-14, 3-2 MAAC) took the early lead in the bottom of the first. Trevor McCauley singled to center field, scoring Greg Cullen. Owen Dziados then doubled to left center to send Peter Battaglia home and put NU ahead, 2-0.
- The Gaels (8-17, 3-4), however, dominated the rest of the game. Iona tied things up, 2-2, in the top of the third inning. One run in the fourth gave the Gaels their first lead of the game, 3-2.
- Iona tacked on two runs in the eighth and five runs in the ninth to earn the 10-2 victory.
- Cullen and Wyatt Olson led the Purple Eagles with two hits each.
- McCauley and Dziados each had one RBI.
- Cody Eckerson (1-4) took the loss on the mound, fanning four and allowing two earned runs in 4.0 innings pitched.
Game 2: Niagara 3, Iona 2 (7 innings)
- The Gaels got on the board first in game two, taking a 2-0 lead over NU in the top of the first inning.
- Niagara tied things up, 2-2, in the fourth. Dziados singled to center field to score Battaglia and McCauley scored on a throwing error by the Gaels’ shortstop.
- After two and a half scoreless innings, Darian Blanks was walked in the bottom of the seventh. A sac bunt from Joseph Tevlin advanced Blanks to second base. With one out on the board, Michael Gabriele singled to second base, sending Blanks home to earn the Purple Eagles the 3-2 walk-off win.
- Dziados led NU with two hits and Dziados and Gabriele each had one RBI.
- On the mound, Matthew Grace (1-1) earned the win, striking out two batters and scattering only two hits in 2.0 innings pitched.
Up Next
- The Purple Eagles close out their three-game series with the Gaels on Sunday, April 8. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and @NiagaraBASE. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.
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