AMSTERDAM, N.Y.—A
Jake Fishman complete-game shutout in game one and an eighth-inning rally in game two gave the Union College baseball team a pair of Liberty League wins against Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Saturday afternoon at Shuttleworth Park.
The Dutchmen, who have won five straight games, go to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the Liberty League, while the Tigers go to 9-7 overall and 4-2 in league play.
In game one, Fishman fanned six and did not allow a hit over the final four innings.
Union jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when
Jake Vesling drew a lead-off walk and later scoed on a
Jamie Faber single and an error by RIT Dom Scialabba.
Harrison Glatt doubled the Dutchmen's lead, plating Faber with an RBI single.
The Tigers threatened in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with two outs after an error, a fielder's choice and a walk, but Fishman managed to get out the jam, striking out Daniel Zeglen to preserve the shutout.
The Dutchmen carried the momentum to the bottom half of the inning, rallying for four runs to take a 6-0 lead.
Fishman led off with a single and scored in Union's next at-bat. Faber reached with a bunt and advanced to second on a throwing error by third baseman Jason Schulz, which also allowed Fishman to score from first.
Eric Egan extended the lead to 4-0, driving in Faber with a double down the right field line, and
Joe Ganim capped the rally with a two-run single.
Fishman sat the Tigers down in order in the top of the seventh for his second win of the season.
Faber finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored and Egan went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Rory Little took the loss on the mound for RIT, allowing four earned on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks over six innings .
In game two, Union took a 1-0 lead after three and a half scoreless innings when Faber brought home
Jake Vesling with an infield single.
The Tigers responded in the top of the fifth, tying the game with their first run of the day. Schulz singled and advanced to third after a Zeglen double in the next-at bat. Patrick Mylott followed with an RBI groundout to tie the game at 1-1.
RIT pulled ahead 2-1 in the top of the sixth when Zeglen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Union reliever
Ryan Kuchar struck Mylott out looking to keep the Dutchmen within one.
Tigers starting pitcher Brian Reed kept Union off the board through the six and seventh, but the Dutchmen's bats came alive in the eighth.
Sam Kirschenbaum led off with a pinch-hit single to centerfield and back-to-back sacrifices from Vesling and Fishman moved the runner to third. Faber knotted the game at 2-2 with an RBI single to left field and Egan followed with a single. After Faber stole third,
Harrison Glatt produced what proved to be the game-winning run with a single up the middle.
In the top of the ninth, Union closer
Bill Christopher gave up a lead-off double and walked the next batter, but bounced back with three straight outs for his second save of the season.
Ryan Kuchar was credited with the win for the Dutchmen, allowing no earned runs and one hit with three strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings. Union starting pitcher
Adam Ashenfarb allowed one earned run on four hits over 5 2/3 innings.
Reed took the loss for RIT, allowing three earned runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings.
Faber led the Union offense, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Egan went 2-for-4 and Veslign was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Zeglen finished 3-for-3 for the Tigers.
The Dutchmen host RIT for another doubleheader at 12 p.m., Sunday, April 10 at Shuttleworth Park.
