BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Canisius baseball team opened up conference play with a Saturday sweep of Saint Peter's on Saturday, opening up with a dramatic 8-7 win in the first game, and rolling to a 9-0 victory in game two. With the wins the Griffs improved to 8-13 and 2-0 in conference play while Saint Peter's dropped to 4-13 and 0-2 in MAAC action.

GAME ONE:

As was the case in 2015, the Griffs relied on a big 9th inning comeback in its MAAC opener on Saturday, as the squad entered the decisive inning down 7-3. However the squad pieced together a four hit, four run rally which tied the game, with big blow coming on a two-run error by Griffin Arnott. Following the four run game-tying rally, the Blue and Gold pushed the winning run across the plate in the bottom of the 11th as Liam Wilson smacked a hit to center field and brought home Jake Lumley, lifting the Griffs to the 8-7 win.

Saint Peter's got a strong start to the game, responding to a two-run bottom of the first by the Griffs with a four-run top of the second to stake claim to the early lead. The Peacocks outscored the Griffs 3-1 through the next seven innings to enter the ninth with a 7-3 lead.

Mike Elwood got the start for the Blue and Gold as he worked 4.1 innings, allowed six hits and five runs (four earned) in the no-decision. Nolan Hunt came on and worked pitched 4.2 innings, yielding just four hits and two earned runs as he fanned six in his outing. Following the ninth-inning tie, Canisius turned to senior closer Iannick Remillard who tossed two scoreless innings, holding Saint Peter's to no hits and no runs.

Lumley, who was the big hero in the Griffs' 2015 MAAC-opener against Fairfield, was a key offensive cog in this one, registering four hits in six at bats and recording one RBI in the win. Tim Kensinger and Liam Wilson also helped spark the offense, registering a pair of hits each, with Wilson notching an RBI.

GAME TWO:

In the second game, the Griffs scored in their first at bats and its final at bats, notching four runs in the first inning and five in the bottom of the sixth to take the game two victory with a 9-0 final score.

Sophomore pitcher, J.P. Stevenson, threw like a staff ace today going the full seven innings for the complete game, and allowing just six hits and hold the Peacocks without a run, as he fanned eight batters in the win. With the victory, Stevenson improved to 2-4.

Ryan Stekl and Adam Tricarco were the Griffs leaders in RBI in the second game, notching a pair apiece. Tricarico went 2-of-3 from the plate, while Kensinger registered two hits as well to lead the team.

The Griffs will be back in action tomorrow afternoon beginning at 1 p.m. as the squad looks to sweep Saint Peter's with the final game of the series.