| Box Score 2 SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – It took two days to finish game three in the Liberty League Crossover Series due to weather, but the Union College baseball team rallied on Monday afternoon to defeat Rochester Institute of Technology, 9-7, and clinch the final spot in the upcoming Liberty League Tournament.

Union is headed back to the Liberty League Tournament for the first time since 2021 and the first under head coach John Muller. The Garnet Chargers are set to face Ithaca College on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at RPI to open the double-elimination tournament.

After the game was called early in the fourth inning last night due to rain with the contest tied at three each, the teams resumed play early on Monday afternoon.

Sophomore Cooper Ames registered the go-ahead run in the seventh inning with his second career homerun and his second in five days. Ames went 3-for-4 with four runs scored, three RBIs, and a triple short of the cycle.

RIT jumped out to a two-run lead in the first inning. A pair of walks put two runners on with two outs and an RBI double by Kyle Poorman saw the Tigers take an early advantage. 

Union struck back in the second inning. A walk by Ames with two outs loaded the bases. Back-to-back RBI singles from senior Ryan Cowles and sophomore Liam McIlroy put Union up 3-2.

RIT tied it up in the third inning. After putting running on the corners, Trent Rapp scored on a fielder's choice. The game was halted in the fourth inning with Sam Kulp at the plate with a 2-0 count.

Tied at three in the bottom of the fourth, Ames hit a leadoff double to left center. A single by senior Thomas Parisi later in the frame put Union up 4-3.

Union added three more runs in the fifth stanza. Back-to-back walks followed by a sac bunt by Strazza moved runners to second and third with no outs. Ames hit a two-run single up the middle to extend the lead. Late in the inning, McIlroy lined a single into left field to bring Ames across home.

The Tigers tied up the game in the top of the sixth. Three singles in a row followed up by a double from Charlie Slaymaker tied the game at seven runs apiece.

Ames broke the stalemate in the seventh inning with his second career homerun and his second in five days. The sophomore swung on the first pitch and launched the ball over the right field fence to give Union an 8-7 advantage.

Union added one more run in the eighth inning. Union loaded the bases with no outs. Senior Sebastian Pike hit a sac fly into center field and senior Kobe Mentzer raced home from third.

Sophomore Alex Oppenheimer started the game and pitched three innings on Sunday night before the game was called. He fanned three and allowed three runs on four hits. Junior Aidan McGee picked up where Oppenheimer left off and pitched 2.2 innings with four runs on six hits and a strikeout. Senior Kyle Patlove earned his fourth win of the season with one hit in 1.1 scoreless innings. Junior Alex Erickson slammed the door with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings and one hit to pick up his second save of the season.

Union is set to play Ithaca on Thursday at RPI. A full preview of the tournament will be available in the upcoming days on UnionAthletics.com.