Courtesy of GoGriffs.com
LEWISTON, N.Y. – The Canisius College baseball team ended the regular season on a high note on Friday, as the squad completed the series sweep against Niagara with a 9-4 win at Bobo field. With the win the Griffs finish the regular season with a 30-25 record and a 16-8 conference mark.
Canisius didn’t waste any time building a lead as the squad scored five runs between the top of the third through fifth innings to take control of the contest. Niagara mounted a comeback in the home half of the fifth but the Blue and Gold offense was able to distance itself and maintain the lead the rest of the way.
Alex Godzak got the start for Canisius and worked three innings, and allowed just three hits and four baserunners and didn’t factor into the decision.
Despite a rocky outing, Tyler Smith was credited with the win as he worked 1.2 innings, and yielded four hits and four earned runs in the appearance. He also fanned three Purple Eagles, as he improve to 6-2 this season.
The trio of Mike Elwood, Michael Ginther and Iannick Remillard worked the final three innings, as the trio held Niagara hitless and off the scoresheet the rest of the way.
Ryan Stekl was the Griffs’ most lethal bat in the lineup, as he finished the game with three hits, two runs and four RBI during the contest. Anthony Massicci, and Liam Wilson also rapped out a trio of hits in the game.
In the top of the third Massicci got things started, singling to center field and bringing home the speedy Cyrus Senior, to make it 1-0.
Canisius added a pair of runs in the second frame as Nick Capitano doubled down the right field line, as he drove in John Conti and Stekl to make it 3-0.
The three-inning scoring streak was capped in the fifth inning, as Massicci scored on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Stekl brought in Wilson to make it 5-0.
A four-run, four hit rally brought Niagara to within one in the bottom half of the fifth frame, but the Blue and Gold offense struck again with a pair in the seventh and ninth innings to secure the victory.
The win today gave Canisius its 16th-straight win over Niagara, with the last loss dating back to 2011.
Canisius now awaits its final seeding for the upcoming MAAC tournament with the ability to finish as high as second in the standings or as low as fourth with tiebreakers deciding its fate.
The seeding will determine when the Blue and Gold begin its championship title defense at the 2016 MAAC tournament held in Fishkill, N.Y., next week. With its win yesterday, Canisius clinched a postseason berth for the 10th-straight time, the longest such streak in the conference.
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