SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – On a Wednesday afternoon in late April, sophomore Karson Saunders opened the scoring in game two of Union College's doubleheader with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Six days later in early May, the sophomore finished the scoring as well.
 
Saunders' two-run single capped a four-run fifth inning as the Union softball team completed a 12-4 (5 inn.) victory over Rensselaer on Tuesday afternoon at Alexander Field, in a game that was started last week but suspended due to rain.
 
Saunders finished the game 2-for-4 with a homer, four runs batted in and a run scored. Classmate Anna Zdunczyk had three hits, drove in two and scored twice in four at-bats, while fellow sophomore Tara Hartnett went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored as well for Union (6-16, 6-14 Liberty League).
 
Originally scheduled for Wednesday in Schenectady, Union jumped out to an 8-0 lead after half an inning. Saunders started the rally with a two-run homer, followed by a RBI single from senior Makayla Koehler and a two-run triple off the bat of junior Julissa Malana. That was followed by three straight run-scoring base hits: a single by Hartnett, a triple by senior Stuart Buxton, and a single by Zdunczyk.
 
RPI got one run back in the top of the third on an Allie Hunt solo homer as the rain continued to intensify, and the game was eventually suspended after the top of the third with Union leading by seven runs.
 
With the game resuming on Tuesday, the Dutchwomen went down in order in the third before Rensselaer scored three times in the top of the fourth to get back into the contest at 8-4.
 
Koehler settled down to return the Engineers in order in the top of the fifth, before the Union bats came out again in the bottom half to end the game early. Koehler led off with a walk and came home on an RBI double from Hartnett, and Hartnett eventually crossed home plate as well on a Zdunczyk single before Saunders ended the game with a two-run base hit up the middle.
 
Koehler (4-7) picked up her third straight victory for Union, allowing four runs on six hits over five innings.
 
The Dutchwomen will return to action on Thursday, as the team heads north to Skidmore College for a makeup from the season-opening weekend of the year. First pitch of game one is set for 3 p.m. in Saratoga Springs.