AMSTERDAM, N.Y.—The Union College baseball team held Rochester to three runs over the final two games of the regular season series between the two teams, completing its four-game sweep of the Yellowjackets with a pair of wins, Sunday at Shuttleworth Park. The Dutchmen, who extend their win streak to six, notched a 2-1 win in game one and rolled to an 8-2 win in game two.
In the opening game, Union (10-6, 7-1 Liberty League) starting pitcher
Tim Curtis picked up his first win of the season, allowing one run on four hits while striking out five and walking three over four and two-thirds innings.
The Dutchmen broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth when
Kent Curran produced an RBI single.
Andy Labeck doubled the lead three batters later with an RBI single through the left side.
The Yellowjackets (6-10, 4-6) cut their deficit to one in the bottom half of the inning on a Tyler Schmidt RBI single. Curtis managed to minimize the damage, retiring the next two Rochester batters with a groundout and a pop fly to keep the Dutchmen in front.
Rochester threatened again in the bottom of the fifth, but
Sam Mikell struck out Will Conroy with runners at second and third to end the inning.
Mikell allowed just one hit over the final two innings, securing the 2-1 win and earning his first career save.
Jack Denzer took the loss for Rochester, allowing two runs (one earned) with two strikeouts and one walk in six innings of work.
In game two, the Dutchmen got out to a 3-0 lead with single runs in the first, second, and third innings. Curran hit an RBI double in the first, Labeck belted a solo home run to left in the second and
J.R. Lopez scored in the third after
Zack Twitchell stole second base.
Corey Ziring drove in Rochester's first run of the game in the bottom of the third, grounding into a fielder's choice, and David Rieth delivered a two-out RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-2, but that's as close as it would get.
Jake Vesling extended the Dutchmen's lead with an RBI groundout in the fifth and added an RBI single in the seventh after Twitchell ripped an RBI double down the right-field line.
Labeck contributed his second RBI of the game with an RBI single in the eighth and
Matt Catalfo pushed Union ahead 8-2 with an RBI double for the game's final run.
Labeck finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored and Catalfo also had a multiple hit game, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Adam Ashenfarb improved to 1-1 on the mound, allowing two runs (0 earned) with three strikeouts and no walks over six innings.
Josh Garber was perfect in relief, tossing three shutout innings and not allowing a single hit while striking out three batters.
Garrett Renslow suffered the loss for Rochester, allowing three runs (two earned) over four innings.
The Dutchmen travel to New Paltz Tuesday, April 11 for a 4 p.m. contest.
