On Tuesday, Feb. 10 the Union University baseball team played at Freed-Hardeman University on Carnes Field. Errors proved costly for the Bulldogs and led to a 9-4 victory for the Lions.
Union held the lead 3-2 after a pair of Bulldog runs and Freed-Hardeman errors. However, multiple Bulldog errors in the bottom of the fifth inning and four runs by Freed resulted in the Lions’ win.
“Right now we’re trying to work some kinks out and get our first win in the books, and after that I believe we will gain a lot of confidence,” said Austin Orr, freshman shortstop and exercise science major.
“Unfortunately, we lost some really good guys during this off-season, but from all of it we are learning to trust and rely on one another and leave everything on the field with a Christ-like legacy,” Orr said.
The next game for the baseball team will be Friday, Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. at Lee University.
On Monday, Feb. 9 at Fesmire Field, the Lady Bulldogs softball team progressed to 5-1 on the season following the double-header sweep of Ferris State University (Michigan).
Union’s Kelly Robey, senior sports management major and pitcher for the team, broke the university record for strikeouts in a game with a total of 18. Bethany Barnett and Lydie Capogreco held the previous record of 16 strikeouts in 2008 and 1998, respectively.
“We’re so proud of Kelly,” said Summer Cross, junior outfielder and nursing major.
“It feels pretty great, especially since this is my last year to play the game I love,” Robey said about her accomplishment. “…The girls I play with are amazing, so every time I step on the field I want to give them my best game, and luckily Monday I really did. … It’s a personal accomplishment, but it is also a team accomplishment because I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them supporting me the whole way through.”
During the first game, Robey threw a total game shutout through seven innings and only allowed two hits. Cross and Reagan Schrader, junior psychology major and utility player, scored back-to-back singles.
Both teams showed a strong pitching performance. However, Union came out on top 1-0.
In game two, Ferris State took the lead when FSU player Alyssa Smith scored a single. Robey brought Union out of a tie and earned the win by finishing the game and going 4.1 innings, allowing one hit and striking out nine more batters.
The final score was 4-3, Union.
“I have high hopes for our season based on our games this weekend,” Cross said. “This is the best we’ve looked during pre-season in years.”
Conference play for the Lady Bulldogs begins on Saturday, Feb. 14 at Lee University starting with a double-header at 1 p.m.
