Published: May 16, 2008 09:37 pm      

COLLEGE BASEBALL: All 9 Niagara seniors set to graduate

The Niagara baseball team had a .283 batting average in 2008. They’re slugging percentage was .390, they reached base at a .374 clip and fielded at .960.

But in the most important measure, the Purple Eagles hit 1.000 — all nine seniors on the Niagara squad will participate in commencement ceremonies Sunday.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our senior class,” coach Chris Chernisky said Friday, after the Purple Eagles concluded the season with a 7-4 loss to rival Canisius at Sal Maglie Stadium.

After being recognized for their contributions to more than 90 victories and two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament appearances, five seniors combined for all nine of Niagara’s hits, led by Frank Kurnik, who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Senior pitcher Mark Wilson came in to face the final eight Canisius batters, and allowed just one hit.

Josh Sawatzky, a Canisius senior who began his career at Niagara before following coach Mike McCrae to Buffalo, recorded the game’s final two outs, as Canisius improved to 40-11 on the year and wrapped up the MAAC regular season title.

Niagara, which finishes the season at 22-28, got a combined 0-for-7 performance from its top two seniors, Tim Alberts and Harrison Harber.

Alberts still managed to finish with the highest career batting average in Purple Eagles history.

“I heard about that coming in and it kind of put a little pressure on me,” said Alberts, whose .360 career average was slightly rounded down, edging the rounded up mark of .360 established by Josh McCurdy in 2003.

Alberts, who set a MAAC record last year with a 35-game hit streak, led the Purple Eagles this season in batting average (.348), slugging percentage (.569), hits (63), runs scored (43), RBIs (36), doubles (15) and home runs (seven).

Pro scouts have been watching Alberts all year, including one from the Minnesota Twins who approached him after the game.

Chernisky declined to speculate on whether Alberts will be drafted next month, but said, “if I was in a Major League organization, I would take him in a heartbeat. That young man is going to give you his all each and every day. And he can hit the baseball. He’s got some hands and bat speed that you can’t teach.”

While teammate Steve Baldinelli has already signed on to play professionally in Italy, Alberts said he has “no idea” what his next baseball opportunity will be.

“I’m proud of all the hard work that helped me get to this situation,” he said. “And the hard work everybody else put in a round me. There’s a lot of guys in our class that busted their butts on and off the field. We’ve been friends for four years and we’ll be friends for the rest of our lives.”

Contact reporter Jonah Bronstein at 282-2311, ext. 2258.