AUBURNDALE, FL – The Union College baseball team dropped 8-3 and 8-2 decisions to Franklin College in a doubleheader against the Grizzlies on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Franklin took the lead in the first game, scoring two runs off a single and a sac-fly in the first inning. The Grizzlies then added to their lead with an RBI double in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead.
 
First year Jack Koch responded for the Dutchmen earning his first career home run, as he went yard to drive in three runs and tie the game up in the top of the fifth. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies added four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take back its lead before adding an eighth and final run in the sixth to secure the win.
 
The second game started with three scoreless innings as neither team could get any offense going.
 
Union got on the board first in the bottom of the fourth with a sac-fly by Jake Vesling which allowed Koch to score. Franklin College, however, responded in the top of the next inning, taking the lead with a two-run home run.
 
But not giving up, Union tied the game back up in the bottom of the fifth when Sam Kirschenbaum hit a single through the left side to score Colin Kelly. The two teams would go through the remainder of the scheduled seven innings without any more scoring, requiring additional innings to settle the dispute.
 
Unfortunately, the Grizzlies strung together six runs on three hits and one error in the top of the eighth to take a 8-2 lead, before closing out the bottom of the inning to secure the doubleheader win.
 
Overall, Vesling led the Dutchmen going 3-for-6 on the day, hitting three singles and batting in one run.