Kozar, Ward, Cameron help Niagara win Metro opener
Terriers C Matt Ward (Mississauga, Ont.) went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs as Niagara won its conference opener. Photo: Niagara Athletics
May 23, 2024
Purple Eagles Down Rider To Advance In MAAC championship
Pomona, N.Y. — The Niagara Purple Eagles advanced to the MAAC semifinals on Thursday evening with a 9-7 win over the No. 3 seeded Rider Broncs.
Niagara plays No. 4 Mount St. Mary’s on Friday for a spot in the MAAC Championship.
How it Happened
The Broncs opened the scoring in the top of the first inning with a three-run home run to take a 3-0 lead.
Niagara responded in the bottom of the second inning while scoring four runs to take a 4-3 lead. Gavin Schrader opened the inning with a single on a 2-0 pitch which was followed by a Vincent Mauro walk to put a pair of runners on. After an out, Matt Ward (Mississauga, Ont.) singled down the left field line to bring home Schrader from second with the first Purple Eagle run.
With runners on the corners, Rees Kozar (Amherstburg, Ont.) lifted a fly to right field to bring home Mauro. On the very next pitch, Nick Monile singled home Ward to tie the game at three. Brady Desjardins gave the Purple Eagles a 4-3 lead with a single to left field to bring home Monile.
Rider responded with a run in the top of the third to tie the game at three.
The Purple Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the third. Schrader reached to open the inning on a hit by pitch. After a pair of outs, Ward singled to put runners on the corners with two outs. Kozar drove in the fifth Niagara run with a single to give Niagara a 5-4 lead.
The Broncs once again responded in the fourth inning. Rider took a 7-5 lead on the back of three hits and a Niagara error.
The back-and-forth game continued in the bottom of the fourth inning as Niagara tied the game. Desjardins opened the inning with a double and moved to third on an infield single by Eric Rataczak. Rataczak then moved to second on a wild pitch. After a pair of strikeouts, Kelly Corl singled home a pair of runs to tie the game at seven.
Great Lake Canadians RF Rees Kozar (Amherstburg, Ont.) was 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs. Photo: Niagara Athletics
After holding the Broncs off the board in the top of the fifth, Kozar hit a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning to give Niagara an 8-7 lead.
Niagara added to its lead in the bottom of the sixth inning as Ward hit a two-out solo home run on a 3-2 pitch to make it a two run Niagara lead.
The Purple Eagles kept the Broncs off the board for the rest of the game to advance to the next round of the MAAC Tournament.
Niagara Notes
-Preston Prince started for the Purple Eagles, he went 3 2/3 innings while striking out three batters.
-Steven Hospital (Oakville, Ont.) closed out the fourth inning with a strikeout after allowing a hit.
-Ryan Minckler picked up the win for the Purple Eagles. He went 3 2/3 innings while not allowing a hit or a run. He struck out four batters in his sixth win of the season.
FieldHouse Pirates closer Zach Cameron (Hamilton, Ont.) set the school single-season save record.
-Zach Cameron (Hamilton, Ont.) notched his 11th save of the season as he went 1 1/3 innings while allowing one runner on an infield single. His 11 saves are the most in a single season in Niagara history.
-Both Desjardins and Ward notched three hits. Rataczak and Kozar recorded two hits each while four other Purple Eagles tallied a hit.
-All nine Purple Eagles reached base in the win. Seven different Purple Eagles scored a run with Ward and Schrader each scoring two runs.
-Kozar drove in three runs, it was his seventh multi-RBI game of the season and his third three RBI game.
-Desjardins reached base for the 28th straight game which is the longest streak for the Purple Eagles this season.
-Niagara outhit Rider 14-5 in the win. This season Niagara is 28-6 when out hitting its opponents.
-The Purple Eagles are 29-1 this season when leading after eight innings.
-It is the first time Niagara has defeated Rider in a postseason game since May 26, 2006.
Up Next
Niagara looks to stay in the winner’s bracket on Friday morning at 11 a.m. The Purple Eagles take on the No. 4 seed Mount St. Mary’s at Clover Stadium in Pomona, N.Y. Niagara swept The Mount at John P. Bobo Field in April.