Wiggins Throws Gem, Hits First Blast in Doubleheader Split with MCLA - Union College Athletics (2024)

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - After dropping game one of their Wednesday doubleheader, 6-4, to MCLA at Alexander Field on Tuesday, Union responded with a powerful victory in large part thanks to first-year Cassie Wiggins.

In the circle, Wiggins threw a gem of a complete game where she allowed just six hits and two runs while walking none and striking out five. She helped her own cause with a home run in the bottom of the sixth, blasting a solo bomb to left center for the first round-tripper of her collegiate career as part of a 2-for-3 game with three of Union's four runs batted in.

Junior Riley Callahan pushed her hit streak to five with a team-best three hits across the doubleheader, while classmates Nahnny Sobetzko, Tatum Perkins, sophom*ore Ellie Wintringer, and first-year Sam Rose also collected hits to reach five-game streaks of their own.

Game One: MCLA 6, Union 4

Union erased a two-run deficit midway through the doubleheader opener before the Trailblazers responded with four unanswered runs, as another comeback attempt in the bottom of the seventh fell short.

MCLA took the game's first lead in the top of the third, using back-to-back leadoff hits and a squeeze bunt to take a 2-0 lead.

Union got one back in the home half, however, as Callahan laced a double to right that scored sophom*ore Elizabeth Werner. Junior Autumn Duff brought the game back even one inning later, as four consecutive singles scored Wintringer to tie the game.

MCLA grabbed the lead back with three runs in the fifth and one in the sixth before Union again looked to come from behind. The Garnet Chargers put runners on first and second with one out in their final at-bats, and Sobetzko cashed in with an RBI single to score classmate Melody Kappel with Callahan following home on a bad throw.

The rally would end there, however, with Union unable to put the tying run on base.

Game Two: Union 4, MCLA 2

After stranding a pair of runners from the rubber in the first two innings, Wiggins shot a two-run double to left center at the plate to race Union out to an early 2-0 lead.

Union added on in the fifth, as three consecutive singles culminated in an RBI knock from Wintringer to score Callahan and push the lead to three.

MCLA struck back in their next time up, cutting the Union lead down to one in the top of the sixth.

That's when Wiggins decided to take back some of the insurance she just gave up, as the Liverpool native blasted a first-pitch fastball deep over the left-center field fence to make it 4-2.

Wiggins responded with a shutdown top of the seventh, getting a strikeout and a pair of lineouts to first to close the door and complete the victory.

Wiggins was the only Union batter to pick up multiple hits in game two with the first two extra-base hits of her Union career, driving in three runs and scoring once to allow herself to pick up the first win of her rookie campaign.

Union wraps up their home-opening stretch of three doubleheaders with a 4-2 record. They will return to the road, and Liberty League play, when they visit the North Country with a doubleheader at Clarkson on Friday and St. Lawrence on Saturday.