AMSTERDAM, NY (April 29, 2018) -- Union College got a walk-off, two-run homer in the eighth inning of game one to knock off the Vassar College baseball team Sunday 7-5 in action from Shuttlesworth Park in Amsterdam, New York. Game two of the doubleheader was suspended in the bottom of the third with Union leading 5-0 due to sustained rain that was forecast to continue through the rest of the day. 

The Brewers (15-16, 8-9 Liberty) got on the board in the opening inning, as junior Matt Schwartz doubled down the left-field line to score freshman Tanner Blough. Union saw Sam Kirschenbaum plate two run in the fourth inning to make the score 2-1, after Vassar starter Logan Willans had cruised through the opening three frames. 

Vassar College responded immediately with two runs of its own in the top of the fifth, as freshman Matt McGannon started the rally with a single through the right side. After moving to second on a passed ball, McGannon went to third on a single by Blough, putting runners at the corners for senior Bobby Kinne. With a 1-0 count, Kinne pulled a single down the right field line to plate McGannon and tie the game at two.

VC took the lead a batter later, as Schwartz lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Blough and make the score 3-2 in favor of the Brewers. Union tied the game again in the bottom of the fifth, as Wiley Knight homered to left-center field after a nine-pitch at-bat. 

For the second straight inning, the Brewers would regain the lead with two more runs, as junior Bryan Rubin walked followed by another free pass by freshman Elliott Layne. Junior Taylor Smach followed with a single up the middle to push Rubin across, while pinch runner Narendra Martin went to third. After another pinch-runner Eric Strickland stole second, McGannon made the score 5-3 on a sacrifice fly. 

Union came right back with two runs of its own, as Jake Kock doubled in Jake Vesling and Kirschenbaum tied the game with a RBI single with two outs. VC had a chance in the top of the seventh, as the Brewers had the bases loaded with one out, but the Dutchmen's Colin Nye came on and struck out back-to-back batters to keep the game tied at five. 

In extra innings, Vassar couldn't push across a run in the top half of the eighth after a one-out walk from McGannon. That set up the decisive blow for Union, as Vesling singled to start the frame and two pitches later Colin Kelly homered to right-center field to give the win to the Dutchmen. 

Junior Jake Doyle was 2-for-4 for the Brewers, and Kinne was 2-for-5 with a RBI. Schwartz was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI, and Blough finished with two runs and a stolen base. Willans went the distance for Vassar, allowing five earned runs while whiffing four Dutchmen hitters. 

In game two, Union built a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the third, but weather made the continuation of the game impossible for Sunday. 

Vassar will now have some time to regroup before heading to Bard College next Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. for the final weekend of Liberty League play on Honey Field for a conference doubleheader in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY.