SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College baseball team earned a series victory over the RPI Engineers with a 6-5 come-from-behind victory in game one of a double header on Sunday afternoon at Central Park. After dropping the final game of the series 7-2, the Dutchmen end their six game week 5-1 and improve to 12-5-1 overall and 6-2-1 in Liberty League play.
In game one, the Engineers were the first to strike as Nick Annuziata and Andrew Kalish scored on bases-loaded walks in the top of the second inning. Nick Palmiero also scored on a sacrifice fly from Tyler Listing. The Engineers capped off a four run second inning when Tim LeSuer grounded to second base to allow Shane Matthews to score.
Annuziata doubled to center field to score pinch runner Matt Lawrence in the top of the seventh inning to give the Engineers a five run lead heading into the final frame. The Dutchmen went on a tear in the seventh inning that started with lead off singles by
Chris Carbone,
Anders Goetz and pinch hitter
Josh Abolt. Getz scored Carbone on his single. After a fly out to center field by
Sam Caruso, senior captain
David Peretti singled through the left side to load the bases. Curran, now in the designated hitter role after being relieved by
Chris Donovan in the seventh inning, reached on a fielder's choice that scored Goetz to bring the game to 5-2. Freshman first baseman
Jake Fishman continued his strong start by tripling down the left field line that scored Curran and Abolt to bring the game to 5-4. The comeback was complete when
Jeff Grasso singled down the right field line to score Fishman to knot the game at 5.
Chris Pignatello picked up his first win of the season after pitching a scoreless top of the eighth. Jack Krasovec falls to 2-2 on the season after taking over for Adam Aponte in the eighth inning.
After shutting down the Engineers in the top of the eighth inning, Goetz walked on four straight pitches and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by C.J. Worley. Caruso walked to leave runners at first and second before
David Peretti slapped a bouncing grounder that the replacement second baseman mishandled that allowed Goetz to score the winning run.
In game two, the Dutchmen grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first when Peretti slapped a single up the middle that scored Caruso from second base. RPI would gain the lead in the bottom of the fourth after a Chris Holomakoff single to right field scored Steven Wells and Jared Jensen. The Engineers wouldn't look back as they tacked on five more runs in the fifth and sixth innings while the Dutchmen could only muster one more run thanks to a passed ball that scored
Vincent Esposito.
Freshman
Devin Martin was charged with the loss after tossing 5.2 innings and allowing six earned runs, walking two and hitting four batters. Tim Gallagher improved to 4-0 who pitched all seven innings and allowing only one earned run while striking out two.
The Dutchmen return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Saratoga Springs for a neutral site contest against Plattsburgh State at 7 p.m.
