Manhattan University Athletics

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. — The Jaspers dropped the final game of a three-game set at Niagara on Sunday afternoon by a score of 9-2. The Purple Eagles scored the first five runs, with two Purple Eagles' players combining for seven RBI on the afternoon. The defeat came after the Jaspers' offense exploded for 28 runs across the first two games to clinch the series victory. 
 
Cole Tucker opened the scoring in the first inning with a single to center field that scored Dawson Bailey after the lead-off man reached safely on a hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a stolen base and a throwing error. Niagara struck again in the second inning with a grand slam off the bat of Bailey, who finished with four RBIs. 
 
Manhattan got a run back in the fourth inning when Pete Durocher drove in David Bermudez with an RBI single for one of his two hits in the game. But Manhattan's momentum stalled there as Bailey drove home two more runs for Niagara on a two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning. Niagara would add two more in the bottom of the fifth and Manhattan one more in the sixth to mark the final scoreline. 
 
Kyle Lesler allowed eight runs in 4.2 innings of work while striking out six. Tyler Fagler came on to relieve Lesler and gave up one run in 3.1 innings.
 
Despite getting outhit eight to seven, Dawson and Tucker combined for seven RBIs for the Purple Eagles to salvage the series' last game. Niagara used four pitchers, with Blake MacMillan collecting the win on the mound. 
 
Manhattan (22-25, 10-11 MAAC) will look ahead to their final series of the season when they host Iona (4-40, 4-17 MAAC) later this week. The Jaspers are tied with Niagara for the sixth and final seed in the MAAC Championship bracket, which will be played at Clover Stadium from May 25-28.