Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College baseball team suffered a 16-13 setback against Niagara University on Tuesday in their first home midweek non-conference matchup of the season.
The two sides played through rainy conditions and were tied 13-13 after seven innings, but the Purple Eagles tallied three runs in the top of the eighth to take the lead for good.
Niagara left fielder Curtis McKay recorded a game-high four RBIs with a triple, a home run and two runs scored, while freshman infielder Tyler ViVacqua registered three hits, two walks, two RBIs and one run, and sophomore catcher Rees Kozar added one hit, two walks, two RBIs and a team-high three runs.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Gage Wheaton recorded his first win of the season after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings in relief, and junior right-hander Andrew Damiani collected his third save of the season after tossing a scoreless frame in the bottom of the ninth.
In his first start of the season, sophomore outfielder
Chaz Anthony (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) recorded a career-high three hits and tallied his first two career RBIs.
Sophomore left fielder
Jack Cannon (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) launched his third three-run home run of the season in the bottom of the second and finished the contest with three runs scored, while freshman
Derek Diaz (White Plains, N.Y./Iona Prep) also crossed the plate three times to go along with three walks, one hit and one RBI. Diaz also made his first career appearance on the mound, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings in relief with two strikeouts.
Le Moyne freshman infielder
Tim Denet (West Harrison, N.Y./Iona Prep) drew a season-high four walks and scored two runs.
Redshirt-sophomore infielder
James Musso (Auburn, N.Y./Skaneateles) made his first career start at second base during the contest and registered three walks with one run scored.
Le Moyne drew a season-high 15 walks during the setback, while Niagara drew a season-high 17 walks. The 32 combined walks tied an NCAA Division I single game record for bases on balls, both teams. Navy and Penn also combined for 32 walks in a single contest on April 1, 1985.
The Le Moyne baseball team will return to action on Thursday when they begin a conference series at Stonehill College.