Game 1

Game 2

SCHENECTADY, NY- Union starters Dane O'Neil and Phil Kemp pitched close games but the Dutchmen baseball team lost in late innings in a doubleheader against the University of Rochester on Saturday afternoon at Central Park.

 

O'Neil was the starter in the first game. He went seven innings and gave up five hits, two earned runs, two walks, and struck out five. Union (9-17, 5-13 LL) managed four hits in the game with two coming off the bat of Tyler Heck who was 2-for-4 with a double. Vincent Esposito was 1-for--3 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base. 

 

Matt Francis was 2-for-4 for the Yellowjackets (13-17, 8-8 LL) with a triple and two RBIs. 

 

Union struck first in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Joe Bradlee was hit by a Jon Menke first to put him on first. David Peretti then walked to out runners on first and second. John Moore then reached on a throwing error by Rochester third baseman Chris Davis to score Bradlee from second and put Union up 1-0.

 

Esposito's double in the bottom of the fourth would score Peretti to give the Dutchmen the 2-0 lead. Rochester, however, would tie it up in the top of the fifth on Francis' two run triple.

 

The game would go into extras when Quinn Rhoda replaced O'Neil in the top of the eighth. Rhoda loaded the bases with no outs. He got help from his defense when Menke hit into a 4-2-6 double play. Davis was then hit by a pitch to put runners at the corners. Rob Barnard then singled to center field to score Alex Caghan and put Rochester up 3-2. On the play, Steve Just was tagged out at home.

 

Union went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to end the game.

 

Menke pitched four innings for the Yellowjackets and gave up three hits, two runs (one earned) two walks ands struck out three. DJ Schwartz picked up the win as he went three innings in relief and gave up just one hit and struck out three. Adam Sullivan picked up his fourth save of the year with one inning of scoreless relief. He had two strikeouts.

 

Rhoda picked up his first loss of the season.

 

Kemp pitched game two. He went eight innings and scattered eight hits, gave up three earned runs, walked four, and truck out three. Dane Flavin was 3-for-5 at the plate with two doubles and an RBI. Esposito was also 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Peretti went 2-for-3 with a double.

 

Rochester took the early lead in this game as they went up 1-0 in the second inning. Union would tie it up in the third. Esposito led off with a double and then moved to third on Dylan Katz-Wicks' sacrifice bunt. Tyler Heck's single scored Esposito to make it a 1-1 game.

The Yellowjackets would regain the lead with a run in the fourth inning. Union would however, tie the game on Flavin's RBI single. The game would remain they way until the top of the ninth. Rhoda replaced Kemp with the bases loaded. He got Caghan to pop up to second. Steve Just then flied out but Charles Chanatry would tag up at third to score and put Rochester up 3-2. Davis ended the inning with a fielder's choice and Menke was tagged out unassisted at second base.

 

Union would try to rally in the bottom of the ninth. Dominic Calistro and Esposito both struck out looking.  Katz-Wicks singled and then moved to second when Heck walked. The rally came just short when Flavin lined out to left field to end the game.

 

Nick Cacciola started for Rochester and went 6.2 innings. He gave up eight hits, two earned runs, three walks, and struck out four. Sullivan picked up his first win of the season. He went 1.2 inning and gave up just one hit, one walk, and struck out two.

 

Both teams play a doubleheader again tomorrow with the first game starting at 12 pm.