WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. (Interstat) — Nate Bennett pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and no earned runs with six strikeouts as the Purple Eagles defeated the Red Foxes 6-2 on Friday afternoon at Heritage Financial Park. Niagara improved to 27-20-1, while Marist fell to 23-30.

Bennett’s outing led a Niagara staff that held Marist to two unearned runs. Andrew Speranza took the loss for Marist, surrendering two earned runs over four innings with four strikeouts. The Purple Eagles collected 13 hits, including two each from Curtis McKay, Rees Kozar, Jason Green and Elijha Hammill. McKay, Kozar, Green and Nicholas Cote each drove in a run. Chris Ubner and Aidan Vargas also pitched for Marist, while Andrew Damiani worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings for Niagara.

Marist took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a fielding error, but Niagara answered with single runs in the second and third to tie. The Purple Eagles added runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings to secure the Metro Atlantic victory, completing a four-game season sweep of Marist. The Red Foxes managed only five hits.