Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. – Senior Abby Arceneaux (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) went 4 for 5, including two runs scored and two RBI to lead #4 Union College to a 10-7 victory over #3 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in the NCAA Regionals at Kostrinsky Field. With the victory, the Dutchwomen improve to 32-6 overall and will play the top-seed, Plattsburgh State this afternoon at 4pm. The Red Hawks, who are eliminated from the tournament with the loss, finish 35-6 overall.

After a 40 minute delay due to passing thunder and lightning storm, the Dutchwomen erased a 2-0 Rensselaer lead, pulling head by a run (3-2) on a pair of line drive singles from Arceneaux and senior Alicia Gifford (Port Chester, NY/Holy Child). With runners on first and second, Arceneaux sent a line drive to center field advancing the runners home and the batter to second. Gifford followed with a single up the middle to score Arceneaux for the 3-2 lead.

RPI regained the lead in the top of the third on a two-run double by sophomore Logan Russell (Cranbury, NJ/Princeton). The Red Hawks, with runners at the corners, tied things up on a single by classmate Beth Gargon (East Hampton, CT/East Hampton) setting the stage for Russell, who doubled to the gap in right centerfield scoring both runners, but was thrown out at third base attempting to stretch the hit into a triple.

The Dutchwomen broke the game open in the bottom of the third capitalizing on two errors and three wild pitches from freshman hurler Michelle Street (East Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse-Minoa) to score six runs on three hits for a 9-5 lead. With the bases loaded and no outs on the board, the Red Hawks’ made the pitching change, bringing in Street to relieve starter Amy Huling (Vienna, VA/Holton-Arms).

Two consecutive wild pitches tied the game at 5-5 bringing up Arceneaux, who delivered her second clutch hit of the game, a line drive to center to make it a 7-5 Union lead. A sacrifice fly and a single up the middle made it a four-run lead (9-5) for the Dutchwomen, who were the home team.

The Red Hawks pulled back to within three in the top of the fifth, scoring a pair of runs off Arceneaux to make it a 9-7 lead. Street singled into the gap in left center, driving in her second RBI of the season and Huling brought her home on a single of her own, but the Dutchwomen added a run in the bottom of the inning for the final 10-7 margin.

Senior Jackie Coffey (Boston, MA/Boston Latin) earned the victory for Union and improves to 16-1, she allowed seven hits and five runs (three earned) with two strikeouts and no walks.  Huling shouldered the loss for the Red Hawks, allowing six runs and eight hits through two innnings pitched to fall to 13-3.