Box ScoreSchenectady, NY (April 15, 2005) Union (5-10, 1-1) earned a split against cross-town rival Rensselaer (12-9, 1-1) in Liberty League baseball action Friday afternoon at Central Park. In game one the Dutchmen scored two runs to complete a 3-2, come-from-behind win over the Red Hawks in extra innings. Freshman pitcher Kevin McCormick (Utica, NY) entered the game in the eighth inning with the score tied at 1-1 and allowed two hits and no earned runs to pick up his second win of the season. Union could not complete the sweep in game two though as they fell 10-3.
In game one senior Mike Flanagan (Oxford, NY) got Union on the board first in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly out to center field that brought in Adam Chadwick (Hampton, NY). The Dutchmen carried the one-run lead through three innings before Rensselaer tied things up in the fifth with an RBI single from Joe Ihnatolya. The score remained locked after seven to force extra innings.
In the top of the eighth the Red Hawks took their first lead of the game on an RBI single to left field by Rich Mundy that drove in Ryan Meron. Union responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to put the game away. Ben Brown (Brookline, NH) tied the game with no outs on a ground out to the shortstop to bring in Evan O'Hara (Wallingford, CT). After Rensselaer intentionally walked Chadwick, Kyle Murphy (Plymouth, MA) flied out to center fielder BG Porter, who sent the ball to first in an attempt to pick off Chadwick. Porter's throw sailed high and into the Rensselaer dugout for a ground-rule double to bring home pinch-runner Eric Mapplethorpe (Oceanside, NY) to end the game.
Red Hawks pitcher Charles Yarnold (3-1) picked up his first loss of the season, allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out nine batters.
The ball did not bounce Union's way the second time around though as Rensselaer built up a 7-2 lead through the first three innings of game two. After scoring two in the first, the Red Hawks added three more in the second inning beginning with Adam Lasek's home run to lead things off. Four batters later Ihnatolya drove in two more runs with a double to left field.
Union made it 5-2 in the bottom half of the second. With one run already in, Brown doubled to right center field and drove in Jeff Viamari (Longmeadow, MA). Rensselaer would get back those two runs though the very next inning.
The Red Hawks put up three more in the fifth started off by a Jason Pollard double that brought home Mundy. Pollard eventually came home followed by Michael Passante one batter later.
Union could only manage one more run in fifth after Murphy singled to center field to bring in Brian Rhone (Deedham, MA).
Chris Sullivan (3-1) went the distance for Rensselaer to pick up the win. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits and struck out one. On the other side Frank Arcuri (Utica, NY) suffered his second loss of the season. He lasted just three innings, allowing six earned runs on nine hits while striking out two batters.
Up next the Dutchmen host Vassar in another doubleheader on Saturday, April 16th beginning at 12:00 p.m.
