Schenectady, NY – A five-run bottom of the eighth by Union robbed the Clarkson University Baseball team of a split on Saturday as the Golden Knights dropped a doubleheader to the Dutchmen 4-1 and 9-8 Saturday afternoon at Shuttleworth Park.

The Golden Knights, playing for the first time since returning from Florida, fell to 4-7, while Union moved to 10-4. The two teams are scheduled for another conference doubleheader on Sunday.

In the opener, Will Coleman was saddled with his second tough-luck loss of the season, allowing two earned runs in six innings while striking out six. The Golden Knights threatened in the first with two straight singles but were retired on a strikeout and a double play. Clarkson wouldn't put another runner on base again until a two-out walk in the fifth.

Union, however, got all the runs it would need in the bottom of the first as a two-out error proved costly when Colin Kelly circled the bases on a home run in the hitter-friendly park. Union would tack on a run in both the fifth and sixth innings, scoring in the bottom of the fifth on a one-out single from Sam Kirschenbaum and adding another in the sixth thanks to a sacrifice fly from Wiley Knight. Clarkson ended Jake Vesling's string of scoreless innings when Zack Riccardi's ground out with the bases loaded forced home one run, but a strikeout ended the Clarkson rally.

Coleman allowed nine hits and a walk in six innings of work, falling to 0-2 on the season despite a 1.93 earned run average and 15 strikeouts in 14 innings. Vesling moved to 3-0 for Union, whiffing seven and allowing five hits and two walks in seven frames.

The nightcap saw Clarkson get on the board early as Will Coleman drew a one-out walk and Brad Pearson followed with a single, setting the stage for Mike Krick's three-run homer to left field. Union responded in the bottom of the frame with an RBI ground out and then added a second run on a Clarkson throwing error. However, the Dutchmen would be held in check for the next four innings as Clarkson added runs to its tally. Vincent Granuzzo drove home Pearson with a single in the third and Ernesto Ruiz-Sierra scored on a wild pitch in the fourth to give Clarkson a 5-2 advantage.

The Dutchmen scored twice in the bottom of the sixth with run-scoring singles from Vesling and Andy Labeck, but Union truly broke out with five runs in the bottom of the eighth. Labeck plated a pair of runs with a two-run single and Joe Ganim came through with a two-out triple that cleared the bases for three more runs, putting Union up 9-5. Clarkson came back with three in the top of the ninth as Granuzzo doubled home Pearson and Riccardi delivered a two-run double to make it 9-8, but again Clarkson's hope a comeback came up short as the Knights ended the game with a strikeout.

Pearson finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored in game two, and Granuzzo plated two in his 3-for-5 effort. Union's Colin Nye picked up the win, tossing 6.1 innings in relief, giving up six hits and no walks with seven strikeouts.