CANTON, N.Y. – The Union College baseball team (17-6, 5-3) swept St. Lawrence University in a cross-divisional series on Sunday afternoon at Tom Fay Field. Union won 14-0 in eight innings in game one before rallying for a 12-8 win in the rubber match.

Senior Kobe Mentzer played in his 100th career game for Union today.

Sophomore Liam McIlroy went 5-for-8 with five RBI and five runs scored. Junior Sam Strazza also had a strong day at the plate, going 5-for-7 with two RBI and three runs scored.

Game 1: Union 14, St. Lawrence 0 (8 innings)

Junior Chris Suter (3-2) had a career outing in the first game against the Saints. Suter pitched a complete game shutout with four strikeouts. The junior only surrendered one hit which is the fewest he has allowed in a start.

On the other side, the offense took care of things with 14 runs in eight innings to run-rule the Saints. The Garnet Chargers recorded 17 hits with all nine starters registering at least one hit. Junior Kyle Zaslaw led the way with a pair of extra-base hits, including his third homerun of the season.

After two scoreless innings, Zaslaw got things started in the third with a leadoff homerun to left field. The next five batters for the Garnet Chargers all singled for the visitors to put them up 3-0. A sac fly by sophomore Andrew Keaveney capped the scoring in the inning. McIlroy added a run in the fifth inning when he stole third and then capitalized on a throwing error to cross home.

Union added three more runs in the top of the sixth. Senior Sebastian Pike singled through the left side to leadoff the inning and sophomore Caleb Miller followed it up with a walk. Zaslaw knocked a double down the left field line to drive in a run and Strazza hit a sac fly one batter later. McIlroy hit an RBI single to left center for Union's eighth run of the contest.

The visitors plated six runs in the eighth to put the game firmly out of reach and to reach the run-rule threshold. Union loaded the bases and senior Ryan Cowles was picked off, but Strazza was able to cross home for the score. Mentzer hit a two-run double into right field and Keaveney followed it up with an RBI single. Union loaded the bases again and first-year Ben Raphael was hit by a pitch to bring a run home. Sophomore Nico Lambros entered the game as a pinch hitter and lined an RBI single to shortstop to cap off the scoring in the first game.

Game 2: Union 12, St. Lawrence 8

Trailing by three going into the seventh inning, Union's offense drove in six runs to come from behind to win game two. Seven Union players recorded a hit with Strazza and McIlroy leading the way with three hits each.

Union's offense continued where they left off in game one with a double by senior Thomas Parisi in the first inning. Keaveney knocked an RBI single up the middle to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The lead was short-lived as the Saints loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame. A two-run RBI single gave the hosts a 2-1 lead after the first inning.

Union struck back in the second inning by loading the bases early. Cowles grounded into a double play and sophomore Cooper Ames scored. McIlroy launched his team-leading sixth homerun into left field to give Union a 4-2 lead. Timothy Connor tied the game at four each with a two-run homerun in the bottom of the second inning. The Saints plated two runs in both the third and fourth innings to take an 8-4 lead.

Union cut the lead to three runs in the fifth inning. After loading the bases, Miller hit an RBI single up the middle for Union's fifth run of the game.

The Garnet Chargers scored six runs in the seventh inning to take an 11-8 lead. Keaveney drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in a run. Senior Anthony Ruzzo grounded out, but Parisi was able to race home to make it a one-run game. Union loaded the bases again and a hit batter followed by a walk brought in a pair of runs. McIlroy hit a two-run RBI single through the left side to complete the scoring in the seventh.

Lambros entered the game in relief in the eighth inning and hit his first career homerun into center field to put Union up 12-8.

Junior Cal Place earned his second career victory with four scoreless innings of relief with three hits and one strikeout. Sophomore Alex Oppenheimer earned the start in game two and allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits, with three strikeouts in two innings of work. First-year Jack Collins surrendered four runs with one strikeout in two innings. Senior Bryce Fournier slammed the door in the ninth inning with one hit and a strikeout.

Union is on the road on Wednesday with a trip to VTSU Castleton. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at Spartan Fields.