SARATOGA, NY – Skidmore College dashed Union's post-season hopes with a doubleheader sweep in Liberty League baseball action at Castle Diamond Saturday. The Thoroughbreds won the first game, 6-5, in the bottom of the seventh inning, and claimed a 6-3 win in game two. With Clarkson losses, Skidmore earned the fourth seed in the Liberty League baseball tournament. Zach Tillo (Lancaster, MA/ Exeter) led the Dutchmen with four RBI on two extra-base hits in the first game and freshman Andy Brown (Saratoga Springs, NY/ Saratoga Springs) went 4-for-4 with two RBI in the second game.

 

Skidmore right fielder Greg Carlow scored on a Union throwing error in the bottom of the seventh inning of the first game to give the Throroughbreds the 6-5 win. Carlow and Adam Brown both reached after being hit by the pitch. Carlow advanced to third on the throw as Jeremy Goldman, who pinch ran for Brown, was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice. Carlow then scored the winning run as the throw to first for the inning-ending double play was errant.

 

Union (8-22, 7-14 Liberty League) opened up game one with a three-run first inning, earning two on a Tillo triple. Tillo then scored on a sac fly to right by sophomore Pat Wilson (Cos Cob, CT/ Greenwich).

 

Skidmore (15-18, 9-9 Liberty League) responded with a run in the bottom of the frame on a Carlow RBI single that plated Mike Salamone, who had reached on a double.  

 

The Thoroughbreds added three runs with two outs in the bottom of the second to take a 4-3 lead. Justin Morelli singled to score Spencer Marcus, who had reached on a single. Jake Mendell's single plated Morelli and Hutchison, who advanced Morelli to second with a base hit.

 

After leading off the fifth inning with a single, Carlow advanced to second on a sacrifice hit by designated hitter Adam Brown and was awarded third on a balk by Union pitcher Eric Giovannone (New Hartford, NY/ New Hartford). Carlow gave Skidmore a 5-3 lead as he crossed the plate on a suicide squeeze that Marcus hit directly at Giovannone

 

Union rallied to tie the game in the top of the sixth as both leadoff hitter Scott Carroll (Scituate, MA/ Scituate) and Kyle Murphy (Plymouth Mass/ Phillips Andover Academy) were hit by pitches and later scored on a Tillo double.

 

Giovannone took the first game loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on 11 hits in 6.1 innings. Mike Matias retired the Union side in order in the top of the seventh to earn the win.

 

In game two, Skidmore jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead and held on to it through nine. Mendell collected an RBI double in the first and scored on a Marcus single.

 

Union scored once in the second, but Skidmore came back with two in the third on an error and an RBI triple by Hutchison. The Dutchmen got one back in the fourth with a Brown RBI triple.

 

Mendell hit a triple in the fifth and then scored on a Salamone sac fly. Union cut the Thoroughbreds' lead to 5-3 in the sixth with an unearned run, but Skidmore scratched out a sixth run when Hutchison singled, stole second, went to third on an outfield fly and scored on a Matt Pisani single.

Skidmore starter Derek Stork gave up three runs on 11 hits in seven innings for his second win of the season, while Matias pitched the ninth to earn his seventh save of the season. Josh McKelligan allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits through five innings to take the loss for Union.

 

Union faces Skidmore in a noon doubleheader at Buck Ewing Field tomorrow to wrap up the season.