A modest crowd of 186 gathered at Bobo Field on the campus of Niagara University to watch the Purple Eagles battle Mount St. Mary's in a nine-inning contest that swung back and forth like a pendulum.
Early Surge
Jacob Brooks set the tone with a single to left field, and Rees Kozar followed with an RBI single up the middle that scored Brooks, giving Niagara a 1-0 lead. Kozar’s speed then took over as he stole second and third before crossing home on a wild pitch, extending the advantage to 4-0.
The offense kept rolling in the third inning, where Niagara plated three runs, and in the fourth Nick Cote crossed the plate on a Matthew Ganschow fielder’s choice, pushing the lead further.
Mount St. Mary's Fights Back
The Mountaineers finally got on the board in the fifth when Ryan McKay drove in a run, and they trimmed the deficit in the sixth with an RBI single from Sam Meyer. A timely double play in the seventh, sparked by Bauman’s single, kept the pressure on Niagara.
Niagara answered in the eighth with an RBI single from Matthew Ganschow, but the Mountaineers tied the game in the top of the ninth with a two-run homer by Mendes, sending the contest into a dramatic finish.
Walk-Off Victory
The Purple Eagles responded instantly in the bottom of the ninth as Rees Kozar delivered a walk-off RBI single, sealing a 7-6 win. Andrew Damiani earned his fifth victory of the season, and the team improved to 9-3 all-time against Mount St. Mary's.
Six Purple Eagles recorded multiple hits, including Biller and Jack Dickinson, while Curtis McKay, Nick Cote, Agar, Fredo, Nate Milk and Mendes each contributed to the offensive onslaught. Starter Reuben Malamed was relieved by Hayden Morrison, and the bullpen held steady through the final innings.
The win comes ahead of senior day on Friday, May 15, when Niagara will host Mount St. Mary's at 1:00 PM at Bobo Field, a fitting finale for the graduating class.