SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union baseball team earned a sweep in the doubleheader over Skidmore to set a new single season high in wins with 21. The Dutchmen were able to tally victories of 6-2 and 17-12 at Central Park Sunday afternoon.
In game one,
Seth Roberts and Nick Petrella pitched for their respective teams. Skidmore was able to earn the game's first run as Geoff Green stroked a single, scoring Jeremy Selecky. The Dutchmen offense was shut down through the first three innings as Petrella conceded just one hit. However, Union was able to level the score in the bottom of the fourth as an
Eric Egan single scored
Jamie Faber from second to make it 1-1.
Union was able to tack on another run in the bottom of the fifth as
David Peretti was at the plate with runners on second and third. The suicide squeeze was called and
Vincent Esposito was able to score on the play.
Skidmore responded in the following inning to tie the game with an Alex Barber single that hopped over third baseman
Joe Bradlee to score Green.
The bats came alive in the sixth inning, as Egan was able to reach on a single to left field. Bradlee came through with a sharp grounder to the left side, scoring a run to give Union the lead again.
Anders Goetz and Esposito were able to draw walks to load the bases for
Dylan Katz-Wicks. The suicide squeeze was called again with Bradlee scoring from third to increase the lead to two.
Tyler Heck padded the lead to put the game out of reach with a single right by Jeremy Selecky, scoring a pair of runs.
Quinn Rhoda was called upon to in the seventh as Roberts went six innings and striking out three batters while giving up two runs. Despite walking two batters with two outs, the senior was able to get the save.
Petrella pitched a complete game, giving up three earned runs and walking three in the loss. Roberts was credited with the win as he improved to 4-1 on the season.
In game two, Liberty League Rookie of the Week
Jamie Faber and Issac Forman faced off.
After a scoreless first inning, the Dutchmen offense came alive, scoring in seven consecutive innings. Union struck first with Goetz hitting a single through the left side, scoring Egan. After three runs in the third, the Dutchmen scored three more times, highlighted by a two RBI single by Egan to make it 7-0.
However, Skidmore was able to get within four as Marco Baratta crushed a deep ball to centerfield that cleared the fences for a home run, scoring Leejay Pollacchi and Green.
After two more Union runs, Skidmore inched closer as Matty Tatkow stroked an RBI single and Jeff Spindel was able to score on a wild pitch.
The Dutchmen were able to open the game up in the following innings as Union scored eight times.
Sam Caruso and
David Peretti pulled off the double steal in the sixth, to put the Dutchmen up 10-6. Bradlee,
Jason Cohen and
CJ Worley each registered RBI singles up the middle to increase the run total to 14.
Entering the top of the ninth, the Thoroughbreds were able to get to the bullpen of Union. Spindel started the scoring as he reached on a fielder's choice and taking advantage of an error. An RBI walk by Jake Dougherty and a two RBI single by Pollacchi gave Skidmore a 10-17 deficit to work with. The Thoroughbreds cut the Union lead to five on a Baratta single, scoring two runs. Rhoda was called upon again, this time in a non-save situation to end the game.
Faber improves to a perfect 5-0, going five innings and striking out six batters. Forman was handed the loss as he drops to 0-4, pitching 2 2/3 innings and registering one strikeout.
With four Liberty League games remaining, Union has clinched a playoff berth and remains in first place. The Dutchmen will take the road, as they will battle with Williams College in an out-of-conference contest on Tuesday, April 30 starting at 4:00 p.m.
