Game 1

Game 2

SCHENECTADY, NY- Solid pitching and some clutch hitting helped the Union baseball team sweep the University of Rochester on Sunday afternoon at Central Park. The Dutchmen took the first game 7-3 and the second 8-7. Union is now 11-17 overall and 7-13 in the Liberty League. Rochester falls to 13-19 overall and 8-10 in the Liberty League.

 

Andrew Beaule pitched the first game. He went 6 2/3 innings and gave up five hits, three runs (one earned), walked two, and struck out six. Peter Mugford was 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and two RBIs. Dylan Katz-Wicks was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base. Joe Bradlee was 2-for-2 with a run scored. Vincent Esposito went 1-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Tyler Heck also was 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, and a stolen base.

 

Union scored runs in the first four innings to build a big lead. It was 5-0 Dutchmen after three. Rochester would score three times in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 5-3. Heck's two run double in the fourth inning would plate two runs to put Union up 7-3. 

 

The lead held as Union held the Yellowjackets scoreless for the last four innings. It was a 1-2-3 fifth inning for Beaule as he struck out two batters in the inning. The only threat Rochester had was in the seventh inning. Nate Mulberg walked and Dom Caruso reached on a fielder's choice that got Mulberg out at second. Matt Francis was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. After Beaule got Rob Barnard to fly out to left, he was replaced by Quinn Rhoda. Rhoda got Steve Just to hit into a fielder's choice to get Francis at second base and secure the final out of the game.

 

Charles Chanatry got the loss for Rochester.

 

Brendan McLaughlin pitched the second game. He went six innings and gave up seven hits, seven runs (six earned), walked one and struck out two. Katz-Wicks was 3-for-5 with three doubles, two runs scored,  and two RBIs. Esposito was 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and stolen base. Tyler Heck and Dane Flavin were both 2-for-5 with one double and a run scored. Heck batted in one run and Flavin batted in two. The top six hitters in the order had a combined 11 hits.

 

Union again got off to the early lead and were up 3-0 in the top of the third. Rochester added a run in the third and a run in the fourth to cut it to 3-2. The Dutchmen got those runs back in the fifth to again go up by three and then five in the sixth inning. Union looked like they were well on their way to victory but Rochester got back in the game with two runs in the sixth and three runs in the seventh to tie the game. 

 

Neither team scored in the eighth. In the Union ninth, Flavin struck out to lead off and Anthony Cassese walked and then stole second to move into scoring position. Mugford came up and he hit a hard single through the right side to score Cassese and give Union the 8-7 lead. 

 

Rob Barnard hit a single off Cody Portin to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning. He was replaced by Rhoda. Rhoda walked Just to put runners on first and second with no outs. Jon Menke then sacrificed bunted to move runners to second and third. Dan Ludwig was intentionally walked to load the bases. Tyler DeClerk reached on a fielder's choice and Rhoda made a heads up play to catcher Dan Wolfe to nail Ned Chanaty at home plate. Rochester was down to its last out and Rhoda struck out Alex Parker to end the game and secure the win for the Dutchmen.

 

Union heads on the road to take on non-league opponent Williams on Tuesday at 4 pm.