Siena baseball made it three straight 10-run contests to open the series, as the Saints slugged past crosstown rival UAlbany to secure a doubleheader sweep in the middle games of the four-game home-and-home series. Siena prevailed 10-9 in a scheduled seven-inning affair in the opener across town at Varsity Field, before cruising to a 10-4 triumph in the nightcap.
Game One: Siena 10, UAlbany 9 (7)
Aidan Paradine delivered the go-ahead two-run single to cap a three-run sixth as Siena (12-23) rallied in a seesaw opener. Paradine was one of three Saints to record three hits as the Saints equaled a season-high with 18 hits in the slugfest.
UAlbany (10-22) scored in each of the first three innings to build an early 5-2 advantage, before Siena responded with a five-run fourth to forge ahead 7-5. Nick Bergamotto and Noah Brooks capped the frame with a pair of two-run singles.
The Great Danes rallied with four in the fifth to go back ahead 9-7, with Michael Maggio providing the go-ahead two-run single.
But the Saints struck last. Bergamotto, who also had three hits on the afternoon, drew the Saints back within a run before Paradine delivered the decisive blow.
Nolan Puglisi finished things off out of the Siena bullpen with 2.2 scoreless innings of relief while recording a career-high six strikeouts to secure the win.
Game Two: Siena 10, UAlbany 4
Ryan Taffe twirled a career-best seven spectacular innings to propel the Saints to the doubleheader sweep. Taffe allowed just three hits and two runs while walking three and striking out three to earn his first win of the season.
Leading 2-0 in what began as a pitcher’s duel, Siena put the game out of reach with a decisive seven-run seventh. The Saints sent 11 men to the plate, recording six total hits in the frame. Vincent Venditti highlighted the inning with a two-run double, while Brooks added the punctuation mark with a two-run single to cap the scoring.
Brooks led the way offensively with a pair of hits and three RBI for Siena which nearly doubled its road win total all season with the doubleheader sweep. The Saints entered the day 3-17 on the road.
Luke Filippi also knocked in three runs for UAlbany which cooled off after having won six of eight entering play. The Great Danes had also captured six of the first seven matchups since the Siena-UAlbany rivalry was renewed in 2024, following their 13-10 win in the series-opener Friday in Loudonville.
The crosstown rivals are scheduled to complete their four-game weekend wraparound series Tuesday with a return trip to Connors Park for a 3 p.m. first pitch.