Eagler wins NFL duel
Senior left-hander Mike Eagler pitched and batted Niagara Falls to a 1-0 victory over visiting Niagara-Wheatfield Wednesday in a Niagara Frontier League showdown game that more than lived up to its billing.Eagler, who is headed for Monroe County Community College in the fall, won a pitching duel against Mike Markelonis of the Falcons. Eagler pitched a five-hitter with six strikeouts and Markelonis allowed just four hits.
The Wolverines (12-3, 9-0 NFL) got their run in the fifth inning when Taylor Huntsman doubled and scored on a double by Eagler.
Eagler helped the cause, too, by picking two runners off base.
“And, our catcher Chris Cardona helped by throwing out runners attempting to steal second in the sixth and seventh innings,” said Niagara Falls coach Joe Contento. Eagler got the third out in the fifth on a ground ball with runners at second and third.
Short, but perfect
Josh Oakley of Riverside struck out all nine batters he faced in an abbreviated perfect game in the first game of the Frontiers’ doubleheader sweep of Bennett in Cornell Cup League II at La Salle Park. Riverside was leading, 10-0, when the league mercy rule was invoked.
The Frontiers won the second game, 14-2, also in three innings and Owen Laureano had a home run among his four hits, Carlos Rosario had a triple and Oakley contributed a double.
Riverside is 6-0 in League II play and has “mercied” every opponent so far.
Connor Ryan allowed only one hit in his five innings of pitching and helped his cause with a two-run double in Canisius’ 14-2 triumph over Bishop Timon-St. Jude. Ryan, a senior right-hander struck out five and walked two.
“He’s our No. 1 and he threw well,” said Canisius coach Brian Tenney, whose team is 8-6 overall and stands second in the Monsignor Martin Association with a 5-1 league mark.
Canisius had 13 hits, including a two-run triple by Richard Miller, one of his two hits. Colin Tenney had two hits an RBI, stole three bases and scored three times while Andrew Skomra had two hits and two RBIs.
Joel Krywcun of Maryvale struck out 14 Amherst batters in no-hitting the Tigers, 13-0, in the first game of an ECIC III doubleheader. The Flyers won the second, 8-6, which was called after five innings because of darkness. Brandon Bojanowski drove in three runs with a pair of hits for coach Kurt Hansen’s Maryvale team in the second game. Jerry Flemming went 4 for 4 and scored a pair of runs, and Dustin Dros drove in three runs while going 3 for 4.
No-hitter for Eden’s Murray
Sophomore pitcher Jillian Murray of Eden pitched a no-hit game for the Raiders in a 9-0 victory over Tonawanda. Two Tonawanda batters were hit by pitches and another reached base on an error.
“Murray is having an excellent season. Two week ago against Cleveland Hill she had 23 strikeouts in an 11-inning game,” said Eden coach Marisa Falacaro, whose team leads ECIC IV with a 7-0 mark. Mallory Mecca went 4 for 4 with two RBIs for Eden. Murray and Carly Nasca each went 3 for 5. Nasca had a pair of runs batted in.
Winning pitcher Maria Gabriele drove in four runs with three hits, including a double, for Sacred Heart in a 15-2 Monsignor Martin softball victory over Christian Central. Sophomore Anna Iacovitti had a pair of hits for the Sharks, who are 8-2 overall and 4-1 in league play with the lone loss to Nichols.
Mount avenges lax loss
Mount St. Mary (8-1, 6-1 Monsignor Martin) avenged its only league loss in lacrosse, turning back Sacred Heart, 12-9, Wednesday.The Thunder led 9-4 at the half, but the host Sharks closed to 10-8. A goal by Mary Buffamonte with about five minutes left broke the spell for Mount St. Mary, and Elise Kreuz tallied her fourth of the game for more breathing room.
Kreuz, who has 26 goals on the season, also had an assist, and Olivia MacDonald had three goals and two assists for the winners. Sacred Heart scoring leader Remmi Zaepfel had a pair of goals.
Sacred Heart had won the first game in the season series, 11-10, in double overtime.
Medina streak at 27
Medina’s boys tennis team chalked up its 27th consecutive Niagara-Orleans League win, defeating Roy-Hart, 4.5-1.The Mustangs are 7-0 this season and have won the last two N-O championships. Medina’s No. 1 (senior Ben Howell) and No. 2 (ninth grader Kristian Snyder) and No. 1 doubles team (Brian Bogan and Tristan Sanders) are unbeaten this year.