Union scores 23 runs through two games, but falls to Bluefield in doubleheader

Barbourville, Ky. – On Saturday, the Union Commonwealth University baseball team played games two and three of its three-game series against Bluefield.

A commeration was held prior to today's doubleheader for Union baseball alumnus Chad Imel, who passed away in September from brain cancer.

After winning the first matchup of the series, the Bulldogs lost the last two games 16-14 in nine innings and 13-9 in seven innings respectively.

Game One:

The Rams surged ahead with an 8-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Bulldogs responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, Sebastian Flores ignited the offense with a single to right field, which was followed by Logan Romasanta's single.

Flores and Romasanta each advanced one base off a balk to put each of them in scoring position. Mason Kelley reached first on an error, while Flores and Romasanta each scored. Later in the side, Nathan McCabe delivered a three-RBI double to narrow the score to 8-5.

In the second inning, Romasanta's single with two outs followed by a passed ball put him in scoring position. On the next at bat, Kelley was hit by a pitch.

That was followed by a single for Jackson Holcombe to load the bases once again. Romasanta scored off a passed ball, while Luke Pell's double would drive in two more runs to knot the game at 8-8.

Bluefield got one run back in the top of the third inning. Union answered by scoring one run in the bottom of the inning as Colton Stegman scored when Kelley was walked with the bases loaded.

The Bulldogs scored another run in the bottom of the fourth when Diego Clariot hit an RBI double to score Sammy Serrano. Union held a 10-9 lead.

In the top of the fifth, the Rams answered by scoring two more runs of their own to take an 11-10 lead. Union scored again in the bottom of the sixth inning as Serrano scored when Flores was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The game was tied 11-11 after six innings.

Through the ninth, the Rams scored five more runs to take a 16-11 lead. In the bottom of the final inning, Kelley led things off with a walk. Nick Seelman followed by hitting a single, but advancing to second while Kelley advanced to third. Pell then hit an RBI single to score Kelley.

After multiple at bats, the bases were loaded once more. Seelman would score when Clariot was walked. Stegman then hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runner Jafari Williams. Despite their efforts, the Bulldogs lost 16-14.

Hunter Rossi, Braylon Green, Dalton Kottmer, and Zach Moore all pitched in the matchup. Green collected two strikeouts. Offensively, Serrano led the way by going three-for-five with two runs scored. 

Game Two:

In the top of the first inning, the Rams got an early 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the first by scoring five runs. Clariot led things off with a single. Flores followed with an RBI double to score Clariot.

Flores then scored off a passed ball. Later in the inning, McCabe hit a two-RBI double and Holcombe hit an RBI single to give the Bulldogs a 5-3 lead.

Bluefield scored four more runs through the fourth inning to take a 7-5 lead. Union tallied one run in the bottom of the fifth when Kelley scored on a passed ball to make the score 7-6. The Rams answered by scoring six runs in the top of the sixth.

In the bottom of the seventh, Romasanta led things off with a single. He would later advance to second on a passed ball. Kelley also singled as Romasanta advanced to third. Pell registered an RBI single on the next at bat.

Later in the side, Nick Seelman also hit an RBI single to get another run for the Bulldogs, while Tyler Bean would be walked with the bases loaded to score a run. Despite their efforts, the Bulldogs lost 13-9.