SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sophomore Dylan Swarts scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning for the Union College baseball team Friday afternoon at Ferrari Field as the Garnet Chargers rallied from down three to beat Skidmore College 7-6 in the first game of a consequential three-game series.
 
First-year Evan Lagemann got the comeback started for Union (15-16, 6-7 Liberty League) in the eighth, hitting a two-run home run for his second of the year and bringing his squad within one of the Thoroughbreds (17-13, 4-9 Liberty League). Sophomore Michael Del kept the line moving with a single, advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from senior Nico Lambros, and moved over to third on a fielder's choice off the bat of Swarts. Del and Swarts both scored to put Union in the lead for good when Quinn McDonald dropped a pop up with two outs off the bat of senior Caleb Miller. 

Thanks to the comeback victory, Union is now one win away from solidifying itself a spot in the Liberty League Crossover Series. A sweep of the Thoroughbreds on Saturday in Schenectady guarantees home-field advantage for the Garnet Chargers in the crossover series. 

While the Garnet Chargers had to earn their eighth come-from-behind win of the season and trailed most of the day, they did hold the first lead of the game thanks to a RBI single from Lambros in the second inning. He went 3-3 and has 10 hits in his last 17 at-bats. All nine of Union's batters in the starting lineup collected at least one hit as well. 

Senior Alex Oppenheimer allowed four runs in his seventh start of the season, leaving the game with Union trailing 4-3. However, the righty did strike out four batters, giving him 131 strikeouts in his career and moving him into sole possession of eighth place on the program's all-time strikeout leaderboard. 

In other record watches, Miller became the program leader in career at-bats after his first time in the box Friday and has now taken more at-bats than any Union baseball player ever with 502. Already the program leader in career runs scored (130) as well, he is four home runs, six hits, and three RBIs away from becoming the all-time leader for Union in those categories also. Swarts needs four doubles to become the program's single-season record holder, and senior Andrew Keaveney is eight walks away from the single-season base-on-balls record. 

Senior Jack Klein earned the win after two relief innings. First-year Lucas Miller secured his first collegiate save, getting six outs for the Garnet Chargers in the eighth and ninth to close the game. The only two baserunners he allowed reached on a hit-by-pitch and an infield single. The Huntington, N.Y. product fanned three batters in his two innings of work, including the last two hitters of the game. In his last seven appearances, he has struck out three or more opposing batters four times. 

Union and Skidmore go at it two more times on Buck Ewing "A" Diamond at Central Park beginning at 12 p.m., Saturday April 25. Union will celebrate its nine seniors before the first game of the doubleheader.