AMSTERDAM, N.Y. -- The Union College baseball team came back in the late innings of game two to split its home-opening series against St. Lawrence on SAturday at Shuttleworth Park. The Saints won the first game, 4-3, and Union won the second game, 7-6.
With the split, Union is now 3-7 (1-1 Liberty League) to start the season, while St. Lawrence is 2-8 (1-1 LL).
Overall on the day,
Sean Cullen and
Jack Koch both went 3-for-7 (.429), had two RBI's and had four total bases. Koch ended the day with two runs, while Cullen recorded one.
Justin Cabanas was the only other Dutchmen to hit over .300 on the day, going 1-for-3 (.333) with one run as well. On the mound, Chris Murdoch recorded the win in game two and threw 3.2 innings without conceding a run and only giving up one run.
In game one, St. Lawrence got on the board in the second inning and went up 2-0 in in the fourth. Union responded in the sixth inning, scoring two runs sparked by a double from
Colin Kelly. Unfortunately, the Saints scored two runs in the seventh, including one scored off a wild pitch to take a 4-2 lead into the final half inning.
With two out and two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, Koch hit a single to center field to score
Andy Labeck. Despite Union having the tying run on third, St. Lawrence was able to get the final out of the inning to take the first game.
Game two started off as a pitching duel, as neither team could get on the board through the first two and a half innings. The duel was highlighted junior pitcher
Dominic Nardone striking out the side in the third.
Union then got on the board in the third inning after two base on balls and an error allowed
Elias Kuhns to score. After the quiet start to the game, both team's offenses started heating up, as the two sides combined for 10 total runs through the next three innings. St. Lawrence would could out of the sixth inning with a 6-5 lead.
Then in the eighth inning, Union used three hits and received help from a Saints' error to put up two runs for a 7-6 lead. Murdoch and the Union defense then shutdown the Saints in the ninth to secure the split with the 7-6 win.
Union and St. Lawrence return to Shuttleworth Park tomorrow afternoon to finish off the Liberty League series. First pitch is scheduled for noon (ET).
