TROY, N.Y. – The Union College baseball team got strong starts from
Jake Fishman and
Dane O'Neil on its way to sweeping a doubleheader with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), this afternoon at Robison Field. With wins of 5-2 and 7-6, the Dutchmen improve to 11-4-1 overall (5-1-1 Liberty League), while the Engineers drop to 14-8 (6-6 Liberty League).
Fishman did it all in game one, picking up the win on the mound, while going 3 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI at the plate. He allowed two runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings to improve to 4-0.
The Dutchmen scored the game's first three runs, including two in the top of the third inning on a sacrifice fly by freshman
Kent Curran and a run-scoring single off the bat of Fishman.
Junior shortstop
Anders Goetz made it 4-0 in the fourth, when drove an opposite field single to right, plating sophomore
Jeff Grasso.
Rensselaer finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth on a wild pitch and an RBI-single from freshman Matt Lawrence. The Dutchmen added an insurance run the fifth, before junior righthander
Chris Pignatello came on for the first of his two saves on the day.
RPI senior Sean Conroy was tagged with his first loss of the season, surrendering four runs (2 earned) on six hits in 3.0 innings.
In game two, Union jumped out to another early lead, plating three runs in the top of the first. Two came across on wild pitches, before Fishman capped the rally with an RBI-groundout to second.
The Dutchmen continued to add to their lead in the third on a double by Fishman. Senior
Joe Bradlee and Goetz then gave the visitors a 7-0 lead in the fifth, with a pair of run-scoring doubles.
Rensselaer came flying back with three straight two-run innings to pull within, 7-6, but Pignatello was able to settle in after allowing a run and earn his third save.
Fishman went a combined 5 for 7 with two runs and three RBI, while senior
Vincent Esposito was 4 for 5 with a run.
O'Neil went 7.0 solid innings, allowing four runs (3 earned) on eight hits. He struck out six and walked one to improve to 3-0.
The same two teams are back in action
tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader at Central Park in Schenectady at 12 p.m.
