Box Score

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Union College baseball team opened it's 2010 season at the Russ Matt Central Florida Invitational with a 10-8 loss to Colby College Saturday afternoon at Chain of Lakes Field.

Colby's Matt Moore was the winner after pitching seven innings and allowing seven runs while the Dutchmen's Phil Kemp made his collegiate debut on the hill. He went five innings and allowed six earned runs. Relief pitcher Colin McKelligan took the loss for Union.

Offensively, outfielder Jared Hotaling had three hits and scored two runs while catcher Ben Price drove in three runs, two of them were in the first inning off a single.

The Mules' Kenneth Kaufman, John Lerner and Ryan Colon each drove in two runs while John LaMantia got three hits.

Union opened the game scoring five runs in the first inning. Hotaling got the game started with a line drive into right field on the first pitch of the season. Second baseman Dylan Katz-Wicks drove in Hotaling in the second inning to give the Dutchmen a 6-2 lead while Price and outfielder John Johnson each drove in outfielder Paul Mene in the third and fifth innings, respectively.

Trailing 8-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Colby rallied in when a two-out RBI double by Richard Newton brought in Mike Mastrocola and Lerner give the Mules a 8-7 lead.

Trailing 10-8 in the top of the ninth with two out and a runner on first, potential tying-run Mene took a monstrous hit toward left center but Colby centerfielder Chris Murdock made a backhand catch at the warning track, preventing Union from tying the game and giving the Mules the win.

Union returns to action Sunday against Luther in a doubleheader action at 1 p.m. at Lake Murtle Field in Auburndale, Fla. Colby will face Western Connecticut on Sunday in Winter Haven, Fla. First pitch is at 1 p.m.