By Chelsie Kenworthy
Asst. Sports Editor
The Union Bulldog baseball team fell to No. 4-ranked opponent University of Alabama Huntsville Chargers on the road Saturday and Sunday, losing the first game 1-3, the second game 2-5 and the third game 3-13.
In the first game, the Chargers scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning and one run in the bottom of the fifth inning, while the Bulldogs remained scoreless until the top of the eighth inning.
Senior outfielder Colton Speed was first to bat for the Bulldogs at the top of the eighth inning. Speed singled to right field, putting him on first base.
Second at bat for the Bulldogs and pinch hitting for junior Wacey Russell was senior pitcher Benjie Fesmire.
Fesmire singled up the middle, allowing Speed to advance to third base and setting up the Bulldogs to score.
Sophomore first baseman Jim Martin was third to bat for the Bulldogs; Martin flied out to centerfield, allowing Speed to score the first run of the game for the Bulldogs, making the score now 1-3 in the Chargers’ favor.
Neither team would score again throughout the rest of the game. The Bulldogs lost 1-3. The second game began at 6 p.m., with the Chargers scoring their first run in the bottom of the first inning.
The Bulldogs remained scoreless until the top of the third inning.
First to bat at the top of the third inning was third baseman Trae Bain, who struck out. Junior utility player Pierson Waring hit second for the Bulldogs, popping up to second base.
Speed doubled to right centerfield, putting him on second base. Senior pitcher John Reed was hit by a pitch and was walked to first base.
Fifth to hit for the Bulldogs, Martin doubled to right centerfield, giving Speed and Reed the opportunity to advance to home and score two runs for the Bulldogs.
The score was now 2-1 in Union’s favor. However, the Bulldogs’ lead would end when the Chargers put up two back-to-back runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Bulldogs lost the second game to the Chargers 5-2. The third and final game for the Bulldogs began at 1 p.m. Sunday.
In the first inning, senior third baseman Cole McAdams singled to left field, allowing senior outfielder Speed to score the first run of the game.
The Chargers would come back and score two runs in the second inning, one run in the third inning and four runs in the fifth inning, bringing the score to 1-8 in the Chargers’ favor.
The Bulldogs did not score again until the sixth inning when sophomore first baseman Martin scored. The Bulldogs’ freshman catcher Zach Wylie would score another run for the Bulldogs in the seventh inning, making the score 3-8 Chargers.
The Bulldogs would go scoreless the last two innings while the Chargers scored one run in the seventh inning and four runs in the eighth inning.
The final game score was 13-3 Chargers.