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Sam Staerker celebration vs. Niagara - April 10, 2026
Lindy Feider
4
Winner Canisius CANISIUS 10-16
3
Niagara NIAGARA 11-15
Winner
Canisius CANISIUS
10-16
4
Final
3
Niagara NIAGARA
11-15
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R H E
Canisius CANISIUS 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 9 4
Niagara NIAGARA 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 10 2

W: Staerker, Sam (1-2) L: Andrew Damiani (1-4)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Takes Down Niagara in Extra Innings

Redshirt freshman Bennett Cox delivered an RBI single in the top of the 12th to break a 3-3 tie and lift Canisius to a 4-3 victory over Niagara in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball action Friday at Bobo Field in Lewiston, N.Y.
 
Canisius improved to 10-16 and 7-6 in MAAC play with Friday's win while Niagara fell to 11-15 and 7-6 in conference play.
 
Senior Sam Staerker was credited with the win for Canisius, coming out of the bullpen to allow just one run over six innings while striking out seven. Andrew Damiani took the loss for Niagara after five innings of relief, giving up four hits and the go-ahead run.
 
Cox's game-winning hit in the 12th highlighted a performance that saw the redshirt freshman go 2-for-5 at the plate with two RBI.
 
Niagara plated the game's first two runs in the third, as a Canisius error allowed Elijha Hammill and Jacob Brooks to score and give the Purple Eagles the lead.
 
Canisius answered in the fourth as freshman Grady Brown got the Griffs on the board with a RBI groundout before Cox delivered a run-scoring single to knot the score at 2-2. 
 
The teams remained tied until the seventh, as Canisius loaded the bases in the seventh before redshirt sophomore Justin Bremner brought home a run with a groundout to give Canisius the 3-2 lead.
 
Niagara knotted the game in the home half of the seventh as Jacob Brooks recorded a sacrifice fly to center.
 
The game moved to extra innings, where the Purple Eagles had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the 10th as they used a double from Noah Konings, a single from Kozar and an intentional walk to load the bases with one out. Staerker was able to work out of the jam, recording a strikeout and a fly out from the next two Niagara batters to end the inning. 

The Griffs finally broke the deadlock with a two-out rally in the top of the 12th, as Canisius used three straight singles, capped by Cox's second hit of the day, to push Andrew Marcello across for the go-ahead run. 

Staerker made the go-ahead run stand up, recording three straight outs after the Purple Eagles' leadoff batter reached on an error to secure the one-run victory. 
 
GAME NOTES
• Canisius now leads the all-time series against Niagara with a slight 119-117-1 advantage.
• Cox' two hits in Friday's win now moved his season total to 31, which leads the team.
• Senior Owen Silliman added his 11th stolen base in Friday's win. The senior is now 11-for-14 in swiped bags this season.
• The Griffs left 17 men on base in the win, compared to 10 for the Purple Eagles.
• Staerker's seven strikeouts established a career high for the right hander, surpassing his previous personal best of five, set on two occasions earlier this season. 
• Senior Felix Morin got the nod on the mound, racking up six strikeouts. The senior now has 11 strikeouts in his last two starts.
• Niagara narrowly outhit the Griffs 10-9 in Friday's contest.
 
UP NEXT
The Griffs and Purple Eagles continue their three-game series Saturday with first pitch set for 2 p.m. at Bobo Field.
 
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