POTSDAM, N.Y. – The Union College baseball team came back from five runs down to force extra innings, but Clarkson University scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th to win 8-7 in the decisive third game of the teams' Liberty League crossover series on Sunday afternoon at Jack Phillips Stadium.
Sophomore
Noah DiCaprio and first-year
Dylan Swarts had a team-leading three hits apiece for Union (22-18), with DiCaprio scoring twice and driving in a run. Senior
Sam Strazza and junior
Cooper Ames both hit two-run homers for the visitors as well.
After a pair of scoreless innings, Clarkson (18-13) took an early advantage with five runs in the third, with all the damage coming with two outs. Joe Figlioino and David Harris both drove in two runs during the inning. Union got on the board with a Strazza two-run homer in the top of the fifth, but the home team responded with two in the bottom half to take a 7-2 lead into the sixth.
Union started its comeback in the top of the eighth, with junior
Andrew Keaveney driving home one run on an infield groundout. Ames followed with a two-run homer to make it a two-run game. Down to their last out in the ninth inning, the Garnet Chargers got an RBI double by DiCaprio to get within a run and Swarts followed with a run-scoring single to temporarily keep the season alive. Swarts almost put Union ahead later in the frame, but was cut down at the plate after a Clarkson error.
The visitors threatened in the top of the 10th, loading the bases with one out. But an interference call on junior
Caleb Miller resulted in an inning-ending double play that ended the threat. In the bottom half, a walk and single was followed by a sac bunt to put a pair in scoring position, and CJ Cartier singled to drive home the game-winning run.
Five players took to the hill for Union on the day, with junior
Jack Klein getting the start and allowing one hit on 2.2 innings. Senior
Alex Erickson tossed two scoreless innings of relief before giving up a run in the 10th to suffer the loss.
Sunday's game is the final collegiate contest for Union's nine seniors, who combined to win 92 games in their four seasons in Schenectady.