WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. (Interstat) — Nate Bennett pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings and the Niagara Purple Eagles defeated the Marist Red Foxes 6-2 on Friday afternoon in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Heritage Financial Park.

Niagara improved to 27-20-1, while Marist fell to 23-30. The Purple Eagles outhit the Red Foxes 13-5.

Bennett allowed five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out six. He did not allow an earned run in his 7 2/3 innings of work. Andrew Damiani pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, yielding no hits.

Marist struck first in the top of the first inning. A. Brotz singled through the right side and N. Lincoln followed with a single to right field. The right fielder committed a fielding error that allowed Brotz to score and Lincoln to advance to third. The run was unearned, giving Marist a 2-0 lead.

Niagara answered in the bottom of the second. J. Green singled to center field, advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on another wild pitch. M. Ganschow then drove in Green with a sacrifice fly to left field, cutting the lead to 2-1. S. Cameron grounded out, allowing N. Cote to reach third, and J. Brooks singled to left field to drive in Cote, tying the game 2-2. E. Hammill followed with a single, but relief pitcher A. Speranza entered for C. Ubner and ended the inning.

The Purple Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the third. R. Kozar singled through the left side and advanced to second on a bunt fielding error by the pitcher. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners, Cote hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Kozar for a 3-2 Niagara lead. The run was unearned.

Marist threatened in the top of the fifth when K. Pollack singled to right center, but the Red Foxes stranded him. Niagara added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth. C. McKay singled up the middle, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the first baseman. Green singled up the middle to drive in McKay, making it 4-2.

The Red Foxes pulled within a run in the top of the sixth. Brotz singled, advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a foulout. T. Baer grounded out to shortstop, scoring Brotz on an unearned run to make it 4-3. Niagara answered immediately in the bottom half. Cameron was hit by a pitch, Brooks struck out and Hammill flied out. McKay then singled to left field, moving Cameron to second, and Kozar singled to center field to drive in Cameron, extending the lead to 5-3.

Niagara added a final run in the bottom of the eighth. Hammill singled to shortstop, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. McKay singled to left field to drive in Hammill, making the final score 6-2.

For Marist, Speranza pitched four innings, giving up two earned runs on no hits with four strikeouts. A. Vargas threw 2 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on no hits with two strikeouts. Ubner started and allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits in 1 2/3 innings, striking out one.

McKay led Niagara offensively, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Kozar finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, Green was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Hammill went 2-for-5. Cote drove in a run, going 1-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly.

Marist’s only hits came from Brotz, who singled twice, Lincoln, who singled, Pollack, who singled, and L. Monico, who singled in the eighth.

The game was the first of a neutral-site series between the MAAC rivals. Niagara had won three straight against Marist earlier this season, sweeping a three-game series April 17-19.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Marist 7, Niagara 5, while its ELO system gave Niagara a 51.00 percent probability to win.