Bobcats Down Niagara to Open Postseason Play

Tuesday, May 20

Pomona, NY

11:00 AM

Quinnipiac University

27-24-1

Niagara

19-28

Niagara

Quinnipiac

Photo by: Patrick Kraemer

5/20/2025 6:24:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: QU Athletic Communications

POMONA, New York – The Quinnipiac Baseball team scored 10 runs to open up MAAC Tournament play on Tuesday morning at Clover Stadium, earning a 10-5 victory over Niagara to advance in postseason play.

Christian Smith led the Bobcats with a four-RBI effort, a grand slam in the fifth inning that extended the QU lead to 8-0 at the time. Smith had two hits, as did Kyle Garbowski, Sebastian Mueller, and Sean McCulloch.

Nick Balcom went the first 5.0 innings on the mound for the Bobcats, allowing no runs and striking out five Purple Eagles hitters.

SCORE
#5 Quinnipiac 10, #8 Niagara 5

RECORDS
Quinnipiac (27-24-1, 17-13 MAAC) | Niagara (19-28, 14-16 MAAC)

Game One
Winning Pitcher – Nick Balcom (3-3)
Losing Pitcher – Matthew DelVecchio (6-7)

Hear from Coach Delaney and Christian Smith after today's win over Niagara!#BobcatNation x #MAACBaseball pic.twitter.com/EPtgm3GoLa
— Quinnipiac Baseball (@TheQBaseball) May 20, 2025

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless opening inning, Alex Irizarry led off the second inning with a home run to the short porch in right field.

Quinnipiac continued to shut down the Purple Eagles as they added onto their lead. With two outs in the fourth inning, Cole Constable doubled to center field, scoring Johnny Knox from first to double Quinnipiac's lead.

The Bobcats exploded for six runs in the fifth inning to blow the game open. With one out in the inning and two runners in scoring position, Alex Irizarry reached on a fielding error by the second baseman as Kyle Garbowski came home to make it 3-0. After Sebastian Mueller got hit by a pitch to load the bases, Johnny Knox put the ball in play and forced an error as CJ Willis scored Quinnipiac's fourth run of the game. After a Niagara pitching change, Christian Smith welcomed the new arm to the ballgame by sending the pitch over the left-field fence for a grand slam to make it an 8-0 ballgame.

Niagara got on the board in the seventh inning as they plated five runs to make it a three-run game. Quinnipiac immediately responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning as Sebastian Mueller launched a leadoff home run to deep left field.

With the Bobcats leading by four in the eighth inning, Kyle Garbowski launched his second home run of the season to make it a five-run game.

NEWS AND NOTES

Seven different Bobcats recorded a hit in the win over Niagara, and four different Bobcats recorded multiple hits in the win.
Christian Smith led the offense with four RBIs, as he went 2-for-4 at the dish.
Smith launched a grand slam in the fifth inning for his 13^th home run of the season.
Sebastian Mueller hit his team-leading 15^th home run of the season with his solo shot to lead off the seventh inning.
Six different Bobcats recorded at least one RBI in the win.
Kyle Garbowski, Alex Irizarry, Sebastian Mueller, Johnny Knox, and Cole Constable each drove in a run.
Nick Balcom got the start in the first game of the MAAC Tournament and went 5.0 innings, allowing four hits and striking out five.
Ryan O'Connell and Matt Alduino combined for the final six outs to close out the win over Niagara.

ON DECK

The Bobcats will face the Siena Saints tomorrow, May 21^st, as double elimination play begins in the 2025 MAAC Baseball Championships. First pitch from Clover Stadium is slated for 2 PM and can be seen on ESPN+.