SCHENECTADY, NY – Senior righthander
Eric Giovannone (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) pitched a complete game one-hitter to lead Union College to a 2-1 victory over the University of Rochester in the first of two Liberty League baseball games Sunday at Central Park. The Yellowjackets won the nightcap, 9-6 to improve to 11-6 overall and 6-2 in the league, while the Dutchmen, who snapped a 10-game losing streak with the opening win, now stand 2-13 (2-6 in the Liberty League).
Giovannone gave up a two-out first inning single to center by right fielder Jay Jay Vanderstyne (Victor, NY/Victor). The senior improved to 2-1 as he struck out five while walking two. He allowed just seven base runners in the seven inning contest, retiring 13 of his last 14 batters faced and six straight to end the game. The only run the Yellowjackets scored came in the sixth when shortstop Ed Kahovec (Victor, NY/Victor) reached on an infield error to lead off the inning, and later scored on a RBI ground out to short by Vanderstyne.
Union took a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Right fielder
Matt Smith (Latham, NY/LaSalle Institute) singled up the middle, advanced to second on a walk to left fielder
Kyle Murphy (Plymouth, MA/Phillips Andover Academy), went to third on an infield error that allowed center fielder to
Pat Wilson (Cos Cob, CT/Greenwich), and scored on an RBI fielder's choice by catcher
Zach Tillo (Lancaster, MA/Exeter). The Dutchmen got the eventual game winning run in the top of the sixth, as Union was the "visiting" team for this league twinbill. Murphy singled to lead off the inning, stole second, and later scored on a two-out RBI to left center designated hitter
Ryan Bowes (Hamilton, NJ/The Peddie School).
Five different Dutchmen had one hit each, all coming against Rochester starter Brady Noon (Highland Park, IL/Highland Park). Noon gave up one earned run, walked two and struck out one in six innings. Gabe Chodak (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Sutherland) struck out one in a 1-2-3 ninth.
Rochester put five runs on the board with four hits, two Union errors and a walk in the first inning. Consecutive RBI singles by first baseman Frank Infurna (Rochester, NY/Webster Schroeder), catcher Devin Shane (Bedford, NH/Manchester West) and DH Dan Brien (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) highlighted the big opening inning. Union's
Colin McKelligan (Canton, MA/Salisbury School) had an RBI ground out in the second but in the third, the Yellowjackets made it 7-1 on an RBI single by left fielder Jim Bard (Grosse Isle, MI/Chesterton) and sacrifice fly by center fielder Andy Cannon (LaGrange, IL/Lyons Township).
Union inched closer with three in the fourth (7-4), as the Dutchmen batted around with only one hit, aided by a total of five walks. In the fifth, Union made it 7-5 as Tillo drove home Murphy with a sacrifice fly. Rochester scored an unearned run in the fifth and added an RBI off a sac fly by Vanderstyne in the sixth. Union closed out the scoring with a run scoring in the eighth on a wild pitch. Wilson had three hits in the game for Union while Cannon had two of Rochester's seven hits.
Rochester reliever Paul Toland (South Weymouth, MA/Boston College High) got the win with 4 2/3 innings of two-hit work to improve to 1-2, while Chodak picked up his second save of the season in the ninth. Union starter
Matt Sheehan (Lexington, MA/Belmont Hill), the first of three pitchers, took the loss, allowing five hits in his one inning.
Union plays a non-league game at SUNYIT in Utica Tuesday, while Rochester has a non-league game Wednesday at RIT.
