Box Score Box Score: Niagara at NCCU (HTML)

DURHAM, N.C. – A number of missed opportunities and a gem of a pitching performance by Niagara's Jordan Schwartz with 12 strikeouts was the recipe for a bad night for North Carolina Central University as the Eagles dropped a 7-1 decision to the Purple Eagles in game one of the four-game series on Friday evening from the Durham Athletic Park.
 
The Purple Eagles struck first with a solo home run by Anthony Firenzi in the top of the first inning, while NCCU's Carlos Ortiz (Cleveland, Ohio) reached base on a one-out single, but was picked off after senior Tyson Simpson (Burgaw, N.C.) struck out swinging, ending any chance of a threat.
 
NU added two more runs in the third inning using three extra base hits including Michael Fuhrman's triple to left centerfield to make it 3-0 in favor of the Purple Eagles.
 
Niagara added two more runs in the fifth, while Schwartz continued to cruise on the hill put the Purple Eagles up 5-0 off the bat of Fuhrman who drilled a two-run bomb to right field to give NU the commanding lead.
 
The maroon and gray finally cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth as both Ortiz and Simpson recorded back-to-back singles and were driven in by Christian Triplett's single through the left side to make it 5-1, cutting the deficit to four.
 
That was as close as the Eagles got on the night as Niagara scored the game's final two runs to pull away for the 7-1 win.
 
Niagara (1-3) earned its first win of the year and was led by the top three batters in the lineup as they combined for six of the nine hits and were credited with six of the seven RBI in the victory.  Fuhrman finished the night 3-for-4 with a home run, two triples, four RBI, and two runs scored.  Schwartz's (1-1) final line was 6.2 innings pitched, allowed seven hits, one earned run, two walks and 12 strikeouts.
 
NCCU (0-2-1) was led by Ortiz who finished 2-for-4 with a run scored as he was the lone Eagle to amass more than one hit.  Senior righty Terry McNabb (Davidson, Sask.) took the loss to move to 0-1 on the year, threw 6.0 innings, gave up five earned runs but struck out eight while just walking one batter.
 
Doubleheader action is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. from the Durham Athletic Park as the maroon and gray look to get back on track.
 
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