STELA NIAGARA, N.Y. (Interstat) — Rees Kozar drove in the winning run with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting Niagara to a 7-6 victory over Mount St. Mary’s on Thursday afternoon and evening at Bobo Field.

The Purple Eagles (26-18-1) trailed 6-1 after the first inning but chipped away, scoring two unearned runs in the third on a fielding error and a wild pitch. Matthew Ganschow added an RBI groundout in the fourth to make it 6-5.

Mount St. Mary’s (21-26) answered with a run in the fifth on a fielder’s choice, then took a 6-5 lead on Sam Meyer’s RBI single in the sixth. The Mountaineers extended the lead to 6-5 in the seventh on Christian Bauman’s RBI single and later on an Alex Mendes groundout.

Niagara tied it in the eighth when Ganschow singled home a run. After Mendes hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to put Mount St. Mary’s ahead 6-6, Kozar delivered the game-winner in the bottom half, scoring Jacob Brooks.

Kozar finished with three hits and four RBIs. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rivals conclude the series Friday.