NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Despite an offensive rally late in the game, the No. 6 Purple Eagles were eliminated from the MAAC Tournament after falling to No. 5 Marist, 6-3, on Thursday.
Game Summary
Final Score: Marist 6, Niagara 3
Game Leaders: Wyatt Olson (2H, 1 2B, 1R), Nick Bernick (1H, 1 RBI), Greg Cullen (1H, 1 RBI)
Records: Marist (27-22), Niagara (24-27)
Location: Richmond County Bank Ballpark – Staten Island, N.Y.
Game Recap
- The Red Foxes jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI ground out and an RBI single. Marist extended its lead, 3-0, in the bottom of the second frame.
- A three-RBI double from the Red Foxes in the seventh doubled their score, 6-0.
- The Purple Eagles got on the board in the eighth inning. Cullen doubled down the right field line, plating Julian Gallup and putting the score at 6-1.
- Niagara began to rally in the top of the ninth. With bases loaded, Peter Battaglia reached base on a fielder’s choice, advancing Wyatt Olson to third base and scoring Trevor McCauley. Bernick then singled to left field, scoring Olson. However, with two outs on the board, Marist retired the next Niagara batter and NU’s 2018 season came to a close.
Inside the Numbers
- Olson led the Purple Eagles with two hits.
- Bernick, Cullen and Battaglia each recorded one RBI.
- Four players (Gallup, Cullen, Olson and McCauley) hit a double.
- Zachary Kolodziejski (1-3) took the loss on the mound. He fanned two and allowed three earned runs in 1.0 innings pitched.
Purple Points
- Niagara’s 24 wins this season are tied for sixth-most in program history.
- Cullen, the nation’s leading hitter, will end the season with a .458 batting average, which is the second-best single season batting average in NU baseball history. He will also earn entries in the record book for second-most hits (81) and fourth-most runs scored (51).
- Pitcher Cody Eckerson broke the career strikeouts record this season, finishing his career with 264 fanned batters. His 87 strikeouts this season are the fourth-most single season strikeouts in program history.