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Niagara University Athletics

Bruning
Demetrius Kazanas
19
Winner Niagara University NIA 21-31
14
Fairfield FFD 30-16
Winner
Niagara University NIA
21-31
19
Final
14
Fairfield FFD
30-16
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Niagara University NIA 0 0 8 0 0 0 1 5 0 5 19 21 1
Fairfield FFD 1 7 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 14 19 0

W: Bruning, Jacob (4-4) L: McVeigh, Colin (2-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Purple Eagles Take Down No. 1 Fairfield, Make MAAC Baseball History

POMONA, N.Y. – The No. 6 Purple Eagles (21-31, 13-11 MAAC) overcame an eight-run deficit, a six-run deficit and a four-hour weather delay to defeat No. 1 Fairfield (30-16, 18-5 MAAC), 19-14, in 10 innings on Friday to eliminate the Stags from the MAAC Tournament and advance to the final game in the elimination bracket.

Niagara made MAAC baseball history, becoming the first-ever No. 6 seed to win three games in a MAAC Tournament and to advance to the final elimination bracket game.

Game Recap
  • The Stags took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, before scoring seven runs in the second to get ahead of the Purple Eagles, 8-0.
  • Niagara, however, was undaunted. In the top of the third, with bases loaded, Max Giordano singled to center field, scoring Dawson Bailey to put NU on the board. A two-RBI double from Benny Serrano and back-to-back RBI singles from Matt Ward and Spencer Marcus cut the Fairfield lead to three, 8-5. With two runners on, Bailey crushed a homerun over the stands in left field, tying the score, 8-8.
  • Fairfield reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the third, getting three runs across to get ahead, 11-8. The Stags added two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to extend their lead to six runs, 14-8.
  • In the top of the seventh, Matt Ward singled to left center to plate Serrano and put Niagara within five runs of the Stags, 14-9.
  • Due to rain and lightning, the game was put in a weather delay after the top half of the seventh inning, a little before 4:30 p.m. The game resumed at 8:30 p.m. and the Purple Eagles dugout was as energetic as ever. 
  • In the top of the eighth inning, an RBI double from Nick Castellana and an RBI single from Giordano put the Purple Eagles down by just three, 14-11. With two runners on, Matt Ward smoked a homerun to left field, tying things up once again, 14-14.
  • Both teams went scoreless in the ninth, but the Purple Eagles were electric in the tenth. Giordano scored on a wild pitch to give Niagara its first lead of the game, 15-14. An RBI single from Bailey scored Marcus and put NU up by two, 16-14. A two RBI single from Cole O'Connor and an RBI single from Cole Tucker put the Purple Eagles ahead of the Stags by five, 19-14.
  • Niagara made quick work of the Stags in the bottom of the tenth, earning the victory to advance in the MAAC Championships and eliminate a third team (Monmouth, Marist, Fairfield) from championship contention.

Eagle's Eye On
  • NU's 19 runs scored are tied for its most this season. The Purple Eagles also got 19 across in a 19-14 win over Saint Peter's on May 1. Niagara's 21 hits are a season-high. 
  • O'Connor led the team with a career-high five hits, going 5-for-7 overall at the plate.
  • Bailey, Tucker and Matt Ward each added three hits and Giordano, Serrano and Marcus each had two hits.
  • Matt Ward had a team-high five RBIs, which is also a career-high.
  • Bailey batted in four runs and O'Connor, Giordano and Serrano each batted in two.
  • Jacob Bruning (4-4) earned the win on the mound, tossing the final two innings of the game for the Purple Eagles. He struck out one and allowed just two hits.

Up Next
  • The Purple Eagles began their game with No. 5 Rider following their win versus the Stags, with first pitch crossing the plate around 11:00 p.m., but it was suspended after the fourth inning due to weather and will resume Saturday, May 28 at 4:00 p.m. Niagara trails, 5-3. The winner of the game will advance to the championship series.

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