TROY, NY – The Union College baseball team rebounded on day two with RIT, earning 8-3 and 7-6 wins to force a series split with the Tigers on Saturday at Lansingburgh High School.
 
The wins snap a four-game losing skid and the Dutchmen improve to 8-4 (2-2 Liberty League) on the season, while RIT falls to 5-5 (2-2 LL).
 
Captain Jake Vesling pitched a gem in the first outing, going the distance, with just two earned-runs conceded, to pick up his second win of the year. The Tigers put up lone runs in the first and second innings, but after that Union never trailed again all day.
 
A walk with the bases loaded gave the Dutchmen their first run of the day in the top of the third. Andy Labeck followed up with double to right field to drive home Colin Kelley and Sam Kirschenbaum.
 
The highlight of the day then came in the top of the fourth inning. After two suspect outs at the plate, Kelly stepped up with the bases loaded and put the first pitch he saw over the center field wall for an emphatic grand slam.
 
Kirschenbaum hit a sac fly in the fifth to score Joe Ganim and RIT added a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh before the game concluded with the 8-3 win for the Dutchmen.
 
In the night cap, Vesling hit a two-run homer in the top of the first to put Union in the driver's seat. The Dutchmen then added lone runs in the second, third and fifth innings to jump hold a 5-0 lead over the Tigers.
 
RIT broke the shutout bid with a lone run in the bottom of the seventh. Bill Christopher pitched the first seven, conceding the lone run on five hits.
 
Union looked like it was going to cruise to an easy win after putting up two more runs in the top of the ninth for a 7-1 lead with the game's final three outs remaining.
 
However, RIT wasn't done and gave the Dutchmen a run for their money. The Tigers strung together five runs on four hits all during the final out to bring the tying run up to the plate. Fortunately, closer Colin Nye killed the rally and struck out the final batter to secure the doubleheader sweep.
 
Union will back at the diamond, to host Castleton for a single game on Wednesday, April 4, at 5 p.m. (ET).