Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – The Skidmore College baseball team earned a split in a Liberty League doubleheader against Union, Sunday afternoon at Castle Diamond.  The Thoroughbreds took game one 1-0 and the Dutchmen picked up the win in the second game, 8-5.

 

Skidmore is now 5-5 in the Liberty League and 18-6 overall, while Union is 4-8 and 8-12.

 

The first game was a classic pitching duel between Skidmore senior Trevor Brucato and Union freshman Andrew Beaule.   Both pitchers tossed complete game four-hitters, with Brucato getting the 1-0 win in the end.

 

The Thoroughbreds scored the game's lone run in the bottom of the sixth. Leadoff hitter Matty Tatkow singled to open the inning. Leejay Pollacchi was hit by a pitch off the top of his helmet to put runners on first and second. Rob Rubenstein advanced the runners with a bunt. After an intentional walk to Brian Lowry, Zack Rudman popped one up in short center that fell between three players, scoring Tatkow.   Union stopped the rally when Pollacchi was thrown out at home after trying to score on a fly out to rightfielder Tyler Heck.

 

Union had a chance in the top of the seventh. David Peretti singled after a 9-pitch at bat and moved to second when Anthony Cassese walked. But, a failed sacrifice attempt and two outfield flies ended the inning.

 

Brucato (3-1) allowed no runs on four hits, three walks, and three strikeouts. He hit two batters on the way to the shutout win. Pollacchi had the defensive play of the game in the third inning when he snagged a sinking line drive in center and then doubled up a Union runner at second.

 

Beaule (1-2) didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning, retiring 10 straight batters after opening the game with a walk. He walked two and struck out two.   Vincent Esposito was 2-4 for the Dutchmen.

 

In the nightcap, Union scored three runs in the third and four in the fourth to build a 7-1 cushion and held on for an 8-5 victory and the split.

 

Skidmore got on the board first in the bottom of the second on a solo home run to left from freshman Erik Watkins, the first of his collegiate career.

 

The Dutchmen tied it up in the top of the third on an RBI single from Esposito and took the lead on a suicide squeeze from Joe Bradlee that scored Matt Barretto and Esposito to take a 3-1 lead.

 

Union added four more in the fourth as Barretto and Esposito had back-to-back RBI singles before Barretto scored on a throwing error and Tyler Heck capped off the inning with another RBI single to make it a 7-1 game.

The Thoroughbreds brought it to 7-3 in the sixth on back-to-back RBI singles from Lowry and Rudman. They were able to add two more runs in the eighth on a Watkins RBI groundout and a run-scoring single from Logan Arena to pull within two at 7-5. But that's as close as Skidmore would get as the Dutchmen added a run in the ninth on a bases loaded walk by Dom Calistro to make it 8-5 and Quinn Rhoda closed the door in the bottom half of the inning to earn the victory and the split.

 

Phil Kemp (3-1) picked up the win, allowing four runs on nine hits in seven innings of work. Rhoda picked up his second save of the year, retiring all four batters he faced. Esposito went 3-5 with a pair of RBI and Heck finished 3-5 with four stolen bases.

 

Jordan Keysor (2-2) took the loss for Skidmore as he allowed seven runs (four earned) in four innings. Rudman, Lowry and Arena each had two hits and an RBI.

 

The Thoroughbreds return to action on April 22 at Clarkson.