Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Canisius University Athletics

#Griffs The Official Home of the Canisius University Golden Griffins | #Griffs
Andrew Sipowicz
Marshal Filipowicz
14
Winner Canisius CAN 23-26, 16-6 MAAC
4
Niagara University NIA 14-32, 8-14 MAAC
Winner
Canisius CAN
23-26, 16-6 MAAC
14
Final
4
Niagara University NIA
14-32, 8-14 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Canisius CAN 2 0 5 0 3 1 0 0 3 14 7 0
Niagara University NIA 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 4 11 3

W: Sipowicz, Andrew (6-1) L: Howard, Tyler (3-9)

2
Canisius CAN 23-27, 16-7 MAAC
3
Winner Niagara University NIA 15-32, 9-14 MAAC
Canisius CAN
23-27, 16-7 MAAC
2
Final
3
Niagara University NIA
15-32, 9-14 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R H E
Canisius CAN 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 9 1
Niagara University NIA 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 13 1

W: Smyth, Kyle (3-1) L: Chivers, Zach (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Splits Thursday Doubleheader with Niagara

The Canisius baseball team took one half of a twin-bill with conference rival Niagara Thursday afternoon at John P. Bobo Field in Lewiston, N.Y. The Blue and Gold jumped out early to win the first game, 14-4, before dropping the nightcap, 3-2, in the 12th inning.
 
The Golden Griffins moved to 23-27 overall and 16-7 in the MAAC, and the Purple Eagles shifted to a 15-32 record and 9-14 in the conference.
 
Senior pitchers Andrew Sipowicz and Nolan Hunt both completed quality starts, giving up two runs each in 6.2 and seven innings, respectively. Junior Jake Burlingame and redshirt-freshman Mike Steffan both tallied three RBI in the opener, while senior Conner Morro and freshman Dylan Vincent both collected two hits in the second half of the twin-bill.
 
GAME ONE
The Griffs opened the game's scoring in the first when junior Jacob Victor drove in Morro on a sacrifice fly, and fellow senior Mark McKenna added another run when he took home on a passed ball.

Peter Battaglia cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first, hitting a solo home run to left.
 
Canisius added five more runs in the third, as Victor plated senior Joe Preziuso on a fielder's choice and a Niagara error with redshirt-freshman Cole Hollins up allowed Morro to score. Then, with Victor and Hollins on, Burlingame homered to right and extended the Griffs' lead to 7-1.
 
Steffan drove in a pair of runs in the fifth, as junior Stephen Bennett and Burlingame came around on the single. Steffan then stole second, and redshirt-junior Billy Krull took home on the throw.
 
The sixth inning had Canisius score another run when Morro tripled to start the frame and McKenna scored him on a ground ball that turned into a Niagara error.
 
Niagara did score in the seventh to make it 11-2, as Jacob Bruning hit a sacrifice fly that brought Darian Blanks in.
 
Joey Battaglia followed his brother's lead, hitting a solo homer in the eighth, making it 11-3.
 
Freshman Trevor Henneman started a three-run ninth inning for Canisius when he hit a ground-rule double that plated junior Andy Leader, while Steffan drove in Bennett on a ground-out and Henneman then scored when Preziuso reached on a dropped third strike.
 
Niagara tacked on one more run in the ninth, as Cole O'Connor scored Bruning on a sacrifice fly, but senior Jared Kennedy closed out his 2.1 innings of relief with a strikeout of Joey Battaglia.
 
Sipowicz picked up the win for Canisius by allowing just two runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings, striking out eight while issuing two walks. Kennedy followed by surrendering two runs on four hits, holding Niagara to one walk while fanning three hitters.
 
Tyler Howard started for the Purple Eagles, giving up 10 runs (nine earned) over three hits and six walks while punching out seven over 4.2 frames. Ben Erwin then allowed one run in his 1.1 innings, Brett Cook suffered three runs in 2.2 innings and James Walker recorded the final out.
 
GAME TWO
The Purple Eagles struck first, as O'Connor singled home Benny Serrano in the fourth. Niagara added their second run in the fifth when Peter Battaglia plated Dawson Bailey with a single.
 
Canisius evened the score in the seventh, as back-to-back doubles by Morro and McKenna allowed Morro to cross home, while McKenna came across on a passed ball.
 
After four scoreless extra innings, Niagara was able to walk-off in the 12th frame when Serrano laid down a bunt with runners at the corners, scoring Bailey from third.
 
Starter Tommy Bednarski scattered three hits for Niagara over five shutout innings, striking out six along the way. Yohn Zapata-Baez gave up both Canisius runs, one being earned, by allowing four hits in two innings. Alex MacKinnon followed by giving up a hit and a walk in his one inning, while Kyle Smyth earned the win by striking out five and allowing one hit in four innings of relief.
 
Hunt went seven innings and struck out four, giving up two runs on eight hits. Juniors Jarod Burmaster and Will Frank both pitched two innings in relief, each allowing a hit while punching out two. Sophomore Zach Chivers got the loss, giving up three hits and one run in his 0.1 innings.
 
HEAD COACH MATT MAZUREK'S POSTGAME COMMENTS
"Today we came out in Game one and took advantage of offensive opportunities to put runs up in bunches. That was good to see as we have struggled there a little bit. It was good to see some guys have some good at-bats in game one.
 
"In game two, we just struggled to get a big hit with runners in scoring position. We did a great job of clawing back down to our last two outs to tie it but then we missed some opportunities late and ended up on the wrong side.
 
"Our pitching today was very strong yet again. Sip and Nolan both had strong starts for us with Nolan just not getting the support that Sip did. Burmaster and Will Frank were also sharp for us which is great to see this time in the year."
 
GAME NOTES
• Thursday's twin-bill was the 175th and 176th all-time meetings between the longtime rivals, with Canisius holding the 95-81 edge.
• The 12 innings in game two is the longest game of the season for the Griffs.
• Thursday was Sipowicz's seventh-straight start with three runs-or-less allowed and Hunt's fifth-straight.
• Game one was Morro's second three-walk performance of the season, and game two was his 13th multi-hit contest of 2019.
• Morro has also recorded an extra-base hit in four of his last six games.
• The first game was Victor's 13th multi-RBI contest of the campaign.
• Frank has only surrendered three runs in 11 MAAC appearances.
• Burmaster's last eight appearances have all been 1.2-plus innings pitched.
 
 
UP NEXT
Canisius closes out the regular season Friday with the series finale against Niagara. First pitch is set for noon.
Print Friendly Version