BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — Thomas Zwirecki went 4 for 5 with four RBIs and the Canisius Golden Griffins pounded the Siena Saints 15-2 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Wednesday afternoon and evening at Demske Sports Complex.

Canisius improved to 19-24 overall and 20-27 for Siena. The Griffins banged out 12 hits while holding the Saints to six.

Canisius starter Felix Morin earned the win after allowing one earned run on five hits over five innings with six strikeouts. Weston Elkovitch followed with two scoreless innings of relief, striking out three and allowing no hits. Mark Rogers worked a scoreless eighth with one hit allowed and two strikeouts, and Will Enright closed the ninth with a perfect inning and one strikeout.

Vincent Venditti paced Siena with a 3-for-4 day that included a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning that accounted for the Saints’ only runs. Chris McKeon threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts for Siena, and Sam Falace allowed one earned run in 1 1/3 innings with three strikeouts.

The game turned decisively in the bottom of the fifth inning. After Venditti’s homer cut the Siena deficit to 6-2, Canisius erupted for seven runs on five hits and three walks. Zwirecki delivered a two-run single, Eric Weeks added an RBI single and Owen Silliman ripped a two-run double. The Griffins sent 13 batters to the plate, and by the time the inning ended they led 13-2.

Canisius had taken control earlier with a four-run fourth inning. Zwirecki doubled in a run and Weeks cleared the bases with a two-run double, making it 6-0. The Griffins added two more runs in the sixth on an RBI single by Weeks and a sacrifice fly by Blake Herman to reach the final margin.

Siena’s only scoring threat aside from the Venditti homer came in the third inning when they loaded the bases with no outs but failed to score after Aidan Paradine and Noah Brooks struck out looking and swinging, respectively.

Eric Weeks went 3 for 5 with four RBIs for Canisius. Owen Silliman finished 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Tyson Kaufman scored three runs. For Siena, Nick Bergamotto reached base twice and scored on Venditti’s homer, but the rest of the lineup combined for only three hits.

The game was the first of a three-game series between the two MAAC foes. The teams are scheduled to meet again Thursday and Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Siena 7, Canisius 6. Interstat’s ELO system gave Canisius a 64.50 percent probability to win.