SCHENECTADY, N.Y. Junior running back Tom Arcidiacono (Castleton, NY/Columbia) rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns and junior quarterback Anthony Marotti (River Edge, NJ/Riv. Dell) tossed for 295 yards and three touchdowns to lead Union College to a 35-7 victory over Springfield College in the football season opener for both squads Saturday night at Frank Bailey Field.

The Dutchmen scored 21 fourth quarter points to put the game away against the Pride. Union had 458 yards of total offense in the victory.

Junior wide receiver Steve Angiletta (Plantsville, CT/Southington) had 148 yards on 10 catches and touchdowns receptions of five and 10 yards for the Dutchmen. Marotti was 21 for 35 on the day for the Dutchmen.  Sophomore linebacker Vito Pellerito (Pompano Beach, FL/Thomas) led Union with 13 tackles, including 11 primary, and senior captain James Baron (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) had 11 tackles for the night.

Springfield was led by sophomore halfback Derron Walker (White Plains, NY/Valhalla) had 14 carries for 139 yards to lead the Pride, while junior linebacker Andrew Madigan (New Britain, CT/New Britain) posted 13 tackles, including a game-high 12 solo hits. Junior QB Joe Deptula (Oxford, CT/Seymour) had 40 yards on three completions and five attempts for the Pride.

Union opened the scoring with a fie-yard reception by Angiletta from Marotti at 8:40 of the first quarter. The score capped a nine-play, 81-yard drive that took 3:32. It was the only scoring of the first quarter. With 1:32 gone in the second quarter, the Dutchmen took over after a key Springfield turnover. Baron recovered a Pride fumble at the Springfield-6, and Arcidiacono ran it in on the first play from scrimmage for a 14-0 lead that stood up at halftime.

Springfield got on the board with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that took 5:08 in the third quarter. Junior quarterback Joe Deptula (Oxford, CT/Seymour) scored on an eight-yard run with 1:16 left in the third stanza.

The Dutchmen made it 21-7 early in the fourth quarter. Marotti found Angiletta for a 10-yard scoring strike just 1:19 into the fourth quarter to wrap up a seven-play, 65-yard drive in 2:29. On Springfield's ensuing possession, a Deptula pass at the Pride-48 yard line on a third-and-seven was intercepted by senior defensive back Will Holiday (Brattleboro, VT/Union). Two plays later, Arcidiacono rushed in from 11 yards out on a drive that featured a 26-yard Ryan Twitchell (Fayetteville, NY/Manlius) reception, to make it 28-7 Union with 11:49 left in the fourth.

Springfield threatened again on the next drive but the Dutchmen had another key interception, deep in their own territory. Senior Chris Nappi (Scotia, NY/Niskayuna) intercepted a Deptula pass at the Union 16 to end the drive with 10:14 left in the fourth stanza. Union then consumed 7:44 off the clock with a 13-play drive capped by a Ryan Perry (E. Greenbush/Columbia) one-yard scoring catch from Marotti. The drive featured 27 yards on seven carries by fullback Zach Tillo (Lancaster, MA/Exeter) and closed out the scoring at 35-7.

Union hits the road for the next three weeks, and plays at Muhlenberg on September 17 at 7 p.m. Springfield will open the home season with a 1:30 p.m. contest against Wisconsin-Stout on September 17.