WINTER HAVEN, F.L.- Union College baseball freshmen pitcher
Jake Fishman struck out seven batters to pace the Dutchmen to a 5-4 win over Keene State in their season and tournament opener at Chain of Lakes Stadium in Winter Haven.
Fishman pitched six scoreless innings to open the game in his first collegiate start. His only earned run came on a home run in the seventh inning. He allowed only three hits in his seven innings of work.
After Fishman sat down the first three batters to open the game, senior captain
Vincent Esposito got on base after slapping a single to right center in the first Dutchmen at-bat of the season. He proceeded to steal a base before a
Sam Caruso single advanced him to third. The other senior captain, catcher
David Peretti, smacked a two run double into deep right center field to give the Dutchmen an early 2-0 lead.
As Fishman continued to roll through the innings, the Dutchmen added one run in the second, fifth and sixth inning to widen the lead to 5-0. In the second inning shortstop
Anders Goetz singled up the middle to score Carbone on a contended play at the plate. The Dutchmen manufactured a run in the fifth inning after Esposito got on base on a base hit up the middle. He then stole second and third bases before Caruso picked up his first RBI of the season on a sacrifice fly to left field. The final Dutchmen run came in the sixth inning when
Eric Egan scored on a
Joe Bradlee double to left center field.
Keene State pressured the Dutchmen late in the game as they picked up a run in the eighth and two runs in the ninth before
Chris Pignatello entered the game to stop the bleeding. He picked up the save as Goetz ended the game on a groundout to
Jeff Grasso.
The Dutchmen recorded nine hits in the game as Esposito and Peretti picked up two each. Peretti led the way with two runs batted in. For the Owls, Brett Dootson led the way with two runs scored including a home run in the seventh inning to start Keene State's late run.
The Dutchmen will continue their run in the RussMatt Tournament tomorrow when they play a double header with Hamilton beginning at 11:45 a.m.
