Union Baseball wins Bluefield series on Senior Day

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – The Union Commonwealth University baseball team (6-25, 3-17 AAC) split Saturday's doubleheader with Bluefield (9-23, 1-16 AAC), winning the opener 23-13 in eight innings before dropping the second game 6-3. With the two wins on the weekend, the Bulldogs claimed the series over the Rams.

Game One: Union Commonwealth 23, Bluefield 13 (8 innings)

• Bluefield jumped out to an early lead, scoring seven runs over the first two innings to take a 7-0 advantage.

• Union responded in the bottom of the second, beginning with a solo home run from Isaiah Pintor. Brysen Vernon later scored on a Bluefield error, and Nathan McCabe followed with an RBI single to plate Cristian Bajjalieha. Aiden Wilson capped the inning with a three-run home run, scoring McCabe and Marquese Glynn to cut the deficit to 7-6.

• The Bulldogs tied the game in the third when Trey Hollon delivered an RBI single to score Pintor. Union then took control with a bases-loaded sequence that saw Caleb Newkirk score on a hit-by-pitch, followed by a walk to McCabe that brought in Vernon. Wilson added a two-RBI double, and Max Charlton recorded a sacrifice fly. Newkirk capped the inning with a three-run home run, giving Union a 15-7 lead.

• Bluefield chipped away with two runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth to make it 16-12. Union answered in the bottom of the sixth, as Bajjalieha, Charlton, and Pintor each drove in runs before Newkirk delivered a two-RBI double to extend the lead to 21-12.

• The Rams scored once in the seventh to delay the run rule, but Noah Young added an RBI double in the bottom half to make it 22-13. In the eighth, Roberto Gallardo drove in the final run with an RBI double to secure the run-rule victory.

Pitchers of Record
Win – Braylon Greene (2-3)
Loss – Brent Avery (0-3)

Game Leaders
Aiden Wilson – 3-for-4, 5 RBI, 3 runs, HR, double
Caleb Newkirk – 3-for-4, 6 RBI, 2 runs, HR, double
Isaiah Pintor – 4-for-5, 2 RBI, 4 runs, HR

Game Two: Bluefield 6, Union Commonwealth 3

• Union took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Aiden Wilson and Max Charlton each scored. The Bulldogs added another run in the third when McCabe drove in Glynn with an RBI double to extend the lead to 3-0.

• Bluefield answered in the fifth, scoring three runs to tie the game at 3-3. The Rams then took control in the sixth with a three-run home run to go ahead 6-3. Union was unable to mount a comeback in the final innings.

Pitchers of Record
Win – Nick Duncan (1-4)
Loss – Gunner Bleha (0-2)

Game Leaders
Max Charlton – 2-for-3, run, 2 doubles

To see who was named Baymont Inn Player of the Game, click here.

Up Next
Union Commonwealth returns to action at home April 7 against Lindsey Wilson. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.