POMONA, NY (May 25, 2024) – No. 2 Niagara University captured the 2024 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Baseball Championship title on Saturday afternoon at Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY. The Purple Eagles defeated No. 1 Fairfield University, 10-6, to secure their first MAAC crown in program history.
No. 2 Niagara 10 | No. 1 Fairfield 6
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
Niagara (38-15) used late game heroics to topple Fairfield (34-24), in a wild affair on Saturday. After two innings of scoreless baseball, the Stags struck first in the bottom of the third when Dean Ferrara hit an RBI ground out, that sent Nick Sturino home from third base. The Purple Eagles quickly responded in the top half of the fourth, by way of Rees Kozar’s RBI single which allowed Gavin Schrader to score the game-tying run. In Schrader’s next plate appearance in the fifth, he would give Niagara the lead in the title game, blasting a two-run homer over the right center wall, putting the Purple Eagles ahead 3-1. Fairfield opened up the flood gates in the bottom of the seventh beginning with pinch hitter JP Kuczik’s grand slam over the left field wall, putting the Stags ahead once again. Later in the inning, Ferrara scored on a wild pitch, for a five-run inning and 6-3 advantage in favor of Fairfield. Once again, Niagara found an answer to Fairfield rally in the ensuing inning. After surrendering the five runs and squandering the lead, the Purple Eagles poured in seven runs in the top of the eighth, taking the lead for the final time, with their largest margin of the afternoon at 10-6. The highlights of the frame were back-to-back two-run rockets, with one coming from MAAC Player of the Year Eric Rataczak into the right field “Short Porch” and the second coming two batters later off the bat of Matt Ward to left field, capping off the rally. Niagara then handed the ball over to MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year, Zach Cameron, to successfully record the final six outs of the day, recording two straight 1-2-3 innings to clinch the program’s first ever MAAC Championship crown.
Niagara Notes and Notables
- For the third straight postseason game, Niagara logged over 12 hits, going for 13 in the title game.
- Five Purple Eagles had multiple hits, led by the duo of Rataczak (3-for-5) and Schrader (3-for-4).
- The trio of Ward (2-for-4), Rees Kozar (2-for-4) and Brady Desjardins (2-for-5) all had a pair of hits.
- Rataczak, Schrader, and Ward each had a dinger and drove in two runs.
- Rees also had two RBIs and a pair of doubles, while Desjardins had a double and one run batted in.
- Schrader led the team with three runs scored and Rataczak was next with two runs.
- Six different Purple Eagles took the mound, with starting pitcher Blake MacMillan pitching 4.1 innings, with four strike outs and one earned run.
- In relief, Noah Richardson (7-0) tossed 1.0 innings and was awarded the win, striking out one and allowing one hit in the inning.
- Closer, Cameron pitched 2.0 shutout innings, allowing no hits, no runs, and no baserunners, striking out one batter.
Fairfield Notes and Notables
- Luke Nomura led the Stags with two hits, going 2-for-4 at the plate.
- Kuczik’s grand slam was his lone at bat, registering a team-high four RBIs and one run.
- Sturino reached home twice for the Fairfield lead.
- After 0.1 innings, where he allowed two runs, Jack Erbeck (2-4) was the losing pitcher.
- Fairfield has now dropped four straight championship games dating back to 2019.
Championship Game Notes
- The title appearance was just the second ever for Niagara and the 2024 MAAC Baseball title is the first for program.
- It will be the Purple Eagles first NCAA berth in program history as well.
- Niagara becomes the 10th current full MAAC member to win a baseball title, with Mount St. Mary’s University, which joined the league just two years ago, being the only member without a trophy.
- Niagara’s 10 runs marked the 14th time in league history the title game winner scored in double-figures.
Niagara earns the MAAC automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. The Purple Eagles will find out what regional they are headed to when the field of 64 is announced during the Division I Baseball Selection Show, which airs live on Monday, May 27 at noon on ESPN2.
| 2024 Baseball All-Championship Team |
| Name |
School |
| Justin Kapuscinski |
Marist |
| Ethan Conrad |
Marist |
| Jayson Kramer |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Luke Pryor |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Tyler Kipp |
Fairfield |
| Kyle Lesler |
Fairfield |
| Luke Nomura |
Fairfield |
| Zach Cameron |
Niagara |
| Brady Desjardins |
Niagara |
| Rees Kozar |
Niagara |
| Ryan Minckler |
Niagara |
| Matt Ward (MVP) |
Niagara |
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.
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