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Box Score 2 JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Zach Rawson (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) went 3-for-3 with three RBIs to lead Saint Peter's past Niagara 6-4 in the second game of a three-games series in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) baseball action on Sunday. The Purple Eagles took the rubber game of the series, 3-0.
Rawson got the scoring started with an RBI single in the second and then added run-scoring singles in the third and the fifth innings. Rawson then reached base on a bunt base hit and an opposite field single in his first two at-bats in the nightcap for five-consecutive hits on the day and finished the two games 5-for-8.
Sean Henry (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) and Jon Kristoffersen (Jefferson, N.J./Jefferson Township) each added two hits and an RBI for the Peacocks (2-14, 2-4 MAAC) on the afternoon.
Michael Fuhrman powered Niagara (5-14-1, 2-1 MAAC) with three hits and three RBIs while Tanner Kirwer added three hits and two runs scored in the doubleheader split.
Saint Peter's jumped out to the advantage in the first game of the day and held off a late Purple Eagles to earn a 6-4 victory.
In the second, the Peacocks put together a four-run inning. Chris Hugg (Ironia, N.J./Randolph) singled up the middle with one out to start the rally. After Jose Martinez (Brown Mills, N.J./Remberton Township) walked, Rawson singled through the right side to score Hugg. James Spadaccini (Butler, N.J./Butler) reached on a fielder's choice while a Niagara error allowed Martinez to touch home on the play. Henry plated Rawson on an RBI groundout before Kristoffersen singled through the right side to bring home Spadaccini with the fourth run of the stanza.
Saint Peter's added a run in the third to increase its advantage to 5-0. Rob Moore (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) doubled to left center with one out and then came around to score on Rawson's RBI single up the middle.
The Purple Eagles put a four spot on the scoreboard in the fourth to trim the deficit to 5-4. Joel Brophy plated the first run on an RBI double to right field before he crossed the plate on an error. Owen Dziados and Fuhrman added run-scoring singles to make it a one-run game.
The Peacocks answered with a run in the fifth to retake a two-run lead. Moore and Martinez each reached after being hit with a pitch before Rawson singled down the left field line for his third RBI of the day after Moore touched home for a 6-4 advantage.
Anthony Assante (Brick, N.Y./Brick Memorial) recorded nine up and nine down in the final three innings to preserve the victory and to notch his first career win.
Niagara won the nightcap 3-0 after scoring a run in the third and two in the fifth, but the story of the second game was the fact that Saint Peter's stranded 17 runners on base and had at least one runner left on in each inning.
Dziados got the scoring started with an RBI single down the right field line in the third.
With two outs in the fifth, the Purple Eagles scored two runs on a two-run double to right center to increase the advantage to 3-0.
The Peacocks stranded two runners on in an inning in six of the nine frames, including leaving the bases loaded in the first and the eight.
In the first, Kyle Grimes (Iselin, N.J./JFK Memorial) was hit with a pitch with one out before Nick Henriquez (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) singled up the middle. With two outs, Hugg walked to load the bases before a ground out ended the threat.
In the eighth, Henry singled with one out before Grimes was hit with a pitch and Henriquez reached on an infield single to third base to load the bases. Niagara got out of the jam with a strikeout.
John Leiter (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) allowed three runs on five hits with nine strikeouts in five innings of work. Mark Wilson (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) pitched the final three innings with no hits, a walk and two strikeouts.
The three-game series was scheduled to be played at Bobo Field in Lewistown, N.Y., but Niagara's field was deemed unplayable and moved to Jaroschak Field in Jersey City. Despite playing ion its home field, Saint Peter's was the visitor for all three contests.
The Peacocks return to action on Tuesday at home against NJIT. First pitch is 3:30 p.m.
