AUBURNDALE, Fla. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire baseball team fell behind early and couldn't make up the deficit in a 9-4 defeat against Union College (N.Y.) on Monday at the RussMatt Invitational. Union scored seven runs across the first three innings and held off a couple of rally threats from the Blugolds.

Box Score

Union took the lead immediately, scoring twice before making an out in the top of the first inning. They tacked on two more runs later in the frame to go ahead 4-0. The Blugolds halved the lead in the bottom half of the inning by scoring on an error and an RBI single from Jacob Buysse (Fr. - Wauconda, Ill./Mundelein).

Union scored its fifth run on a fielder's choice in the top of the second to extend its lead to 5-2. Two more runs came in during the third inning on an error and a sacrifice fly to make it 7-2 in favor of Union.

UW-Eau Claire got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Nate Witte (Jr. - Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) launched a shot to the center field fence and came around to score on an inside the park home run. It was his first homer of the season.

Union scored on a sacrifice fly in the sixth, but the Blugolds had an answer in the bottom half of the frame. Witte singled to left to bring home Ethan Plantz (Jr. - South Elgin, Ill./Elgin Academy) and make the score 8-4. Union finished the scoring with a final run in the eighth.

Witte finished a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate. He drew a walk and drove in two runs. Buysse went 2 for 5, and Austin Buck (Fr. - Stillwater, Minn.) had a hit and two walks.

Kendal Lecker (Sr. - Seymour, Wis.), Ryan Parratt (So. - Stillwater, Minn./St. Croix Prep), Ky Mueller (Fr. - Green Bay, Wis./Bay Port) and Sebastian De La Toba (Fr. - Chula Vista, Calif./Olympian) all teamed up to limit Union to three earned runs in nine innings of relief. Mueller threw two scoreless innings.

The Blugolds continue their stint at the RussMatt Invitational with a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 21. They take on Hope College at 2 p.m. Eastern before playing Bard at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.

Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.