NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Marist baseball team was swept in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader at Niagara on Saturday. The Red Foxes dropped the nine-inning first game by a score of 2-1, and fell 6-4 in the seven-inning second game.

Game One

Marist manufactured a run in the first without the benefit of a hit. Senior shortstop Nick McQuail (Wantagh, N.Y.) led off by getting hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a passed ball, reached third on a sacrifice bunt by senior right fielder Pat Welsh (Millersville, Pa.), and scored on a sacrifice fly by junior first baseman Steve Laurino (Carle Place, N.Y.).

Niagara tied the game in the bottom of the first when center fielder Anthony Firenzi led off with a single, and scored on a two-out wild pitch. The Purple Eagles scored the game's only other run in the sixth as center fielder Taylor Hackett drew a leadoff walk, and scored from first on a one-out double by third baseman Greg Rodgers.

Both starting pitchers went the distance. Marist freshman right-hander Scott Boches (Feasterville, Pa.) fell to 3-4 with the loss. Boches allowed five hits, three walks and struck out two. He threw 65 of his 106 pitches for strikes. Niagara right-hander Jordan Schwartz (4-5) pitched a one-hitter with nine strikeouts and two walks, and threw 84 of his 134 pitches for strikes.

Game Two

Niagara scored its first run in the second, and then added five in the fifth to jump out to a 6-0 lead. Shorstop Geoff Seto delivered a two-run double in the fifth, and the Purple Eagles scored two unearned runs in the inning.

Marist rallied for four runs in the sixth, a rally that started with two outs and no one on base. A triple by sophomore left fielder Matt Pagano (Cranston, R.I.) brought home both sophomore second baseman Joey Aiola (Suffern, N.Y.) and freshman third baseman Ben Moller (Warrington, Pa.). Freshman designated hitter Tyler Kirkpatrick (Eagleville, Pa.) followed with a two-run homer – the first of his collegiate career – to cut Marist's deficit to 6-4. The Red Foxes were able to bring the tying run to the plate in both the sixth and seventh innings.

Niagara starter Cody Eckerson (5-0) went the first six innings to earn the win, and Jacob Lysiak pitched a scoreless seventh for his second save. For Marist, junior right-hander Evan Davis (Little Falls, N.Y.) took the loss and fell to 1-5. Davis went the first five innings, and allowed six hits, six runs, three earned runs and one walk while striking out four. Senior right-hander Chris Thorsen (Lititz, Pa.) finished with a scoreless sixth.

Marist is now 12-30 overall and 5-12 in the MAAC; Niagara is 15-24 overall and 8-10 in the MAAC.

The home team has now won the last 10 games in the Marist-Niagara series.

The teams will wrap up their three-game series on Sunday, with a single game at noon.