NIAGARA, NY – Six runs in the final four innings was not enough for the Iona College baseball team to overcome host Niagara this afternoon as the Western New York team claimed a 9-6 victory in the three-game MAAC series.

Peter Battaglia highlighted a four-run bottom of the first for the Purple Eagles (9-14, 4-2 MAAC) with a two-run homerun on a 2-1 count. Niagara increased the advantage to 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth before Iona got on the scoreboard in the sixth.

With one out in the top of the sixth, Sean Breen notched a solo homerun to cut into the deficit. Greg Cullen and Battaglia each added their second RBI hits on the day in the bottom half of the inning to push the margin up to 7-1.

Each team scored a pair of runs in the seventh with Sean Scales earning a base loaded single to score two runs in the top half before Niagara tallied a sacrifice fly and a single to score two runs. Facing a 9-3 deficit, the Maroon & Gold (8-18, 3-5 MAAC) continued the offensive stretch in the eighth behind a RBI groundout from Seth Hoagland to scored Sam Punzi.

Scales led off the ninth with a walk to set up another opportunity for Breen, who notched his second home run of the afternoon. Despite a single from Lou Matarazzo in the follow at-bat, Alexandre Jones closed out the win with the final two outs to close out his line of 2.2 innings pitched in relief.

Jones relieved Zachary Kolodziejski, who earned his first win on the year behind 6.1 innings with two punch-outs.

B????reen ended his day by going 3-for-4 from the plate with three RBI and two runs scored. Scales added two RBI on a hit and a run scored.

The Maroon & Gold are next on the diamond this Tuesday with a trip to Stony Brook.