ROCHESTER, NY – A big first inning propelled the Union College baseball team to a 3-1 win against Liberty League regular-season champion Rochester on Saturday afternoon at the 2018 Liberty League Championship.
 
The Dutchmen (29-10) will now play for the Liberty League tournament title and an automatic berth to the 2018 NCAA Tournament. The championship game is scheduled to start at noon on Sunday, May 12; if the Dutchmen lose the noon game, they can still win the title by winning the double elimination game immediately after.
 
In the win against the Yellowjackets, Union put up three runs on three hits in the first inning. First year Jack Koch led off with a single to right field before a grounder by Harrison Glatt advanced him to second. A single by Jake Vesling and a base on balls by Colin Kelly loaded the bases for Union.
 
Sean Cullen kept things going for the Dutchmen with a single to score Koch and Vesling. Sam Kirschenbaum followed up with a grounder to first, but it allowed Kelly to score and give Union the 3-0 lead.
 
Union's defense led by Bill Christopher on the mound kept Rochester off the board until the Yellowjackets scored their lone run off of two hits in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Christopher pitched 8.0 innings and was relieved Colin Nye who finished the final three outs on just three pitches to send Union to the title game.
 
Union will take on the winner between Rochester and RIT tomorrow, May 12, at noon (ET). A win will give Union the 2018 Liberty League Tournament title, but if the Dutchmen lose, they will take on Rochester again for a second chance at the title.