SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Backed by strong pitching and hot bats, the Union College baseball team swept Bard College in a doubleheader to win the season series against the Raptors on Saturday afternoon at Central Park A Diamond. Union won game one 23-5 in seven innings and game two 8-3.

Sophomore Caleb Miller extended his hit streak to 16 consecutive games. Union extended their win streak to eight games. 

Game One: Union 23, Bard 5 (7 inn.)
A nine-run first inning was the difference maker in the opening game of the doubleheader with the Raptors. Every batter in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit, with sophomore Liam McIlroy leading the way with four hits to come a double short of the cycle. McIlroy went 4-for-5 with seven RBIs and four runs scored for his fourth consecutive game with a homerun. Sophomore Caleb Miller also had a strong day at the plate with two homeruns, four RBIs, and three runs scored.

Union's hot bats carried over from yesterday as the team put up nine runs in the first inning. McIlroy hit a leadoff triple on the first pitch to get things started. Senior Kobe Mentzer and sophomore Andrew Keaveney hit back-to-back RBI doubles to put Union up 2-0. A wild pitch put Keaveney on third and Miller drew a walk to put runners on the corners. Junior Kyle Zaslaw lined an RBI single to center field. With the bases loaded, four Union batters hit singles in a row to put the hosts up 7-0 and keep the bases loaded. A wild pitch saw senior Ryan Cowles cross home and a second wild pitch gave McIlroy time to cross the plate.

Bard scored a run in the bottom of the second, but Union struck back in the bottom of the second with three more runs. Zaslaw hit a leadoff homerun over the left field fence. The team capitalized on a pair of errors later in the frame to make it a 12-1 game.

The Raptors added three more runs in the top of the third off a two-run double and a throwing error. Union gained those runs right back with a pair of homeruns by Miller and McIlroy. Miller hit a leadoff homerun for his first of the game. Strazza and Cowles both drew a walk and McIlroy hit his eighth homerun of the year and his fourth in as many games. The Raptors responded with another run in the top of the fourth.

The Garnet Chargers plated six in the bottom of the fifth. Three straight hits to leadoff the inning saw two runs score. McIlroy stole second and reached third on a wild pitch. Parisi sent an RBI single up the middle. With two runners on, Miller hit his second home run of the game over the left field fence to put three more runs on the board. The home team added one more in the sixth inning before the Union defense shut down the Raptors in the seventh.

Sophomore Alex Oppenheimer started the game and pitched three innings with four runs on four hits and four strikeouts. Senior Kyle Patlove picked up his second win of the season with four complete innings with one run on three hits and three strikeouts.

Game Two: Union 8, Bard 3
Four Union batters recorded two hits in the rubber match. Strazza led the way with a double and a homerun.

Union's offense carried over from the first game of the twinbill. After going down by two outs, Miller drew a walk to load the bases. Zaslaw singled to left field and two runners crossed home to put Union up 2-0.

In the bottom of the third, Union got two quick outs, but the team responded by singles from Miller and Zaslaw. Sophomore Cooper Ames loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch. A defensive error saw Strazza reach first and two runs score. Cowles hit an RBI single to center field to put Union up 5-0.

Bard broke the shutout bid in the top of the fifth inning. A solo homerun by Strazza in the bottom of the stanza allowed Union to regain the five-run lead.

Ames singled in the seventh inning to get on base. Strazza followed it up with a double to center field that allowed Ames to score. McIlroy was intentionally walked and one batter later, Parisi lined an RBI single into left.

The Raptors tacked on one more run in the ninth inning on a sac fly, but the Union defense closed out the game.

First-year Jack Collins earned his fourth win of the season with a complete nine-inning game to improve to 4-1 on the season. Collins allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits, with two strikeouts.

Union is on the road on Tuesday with a trip to Wesleyan University. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at Dresser Diamond.