BARBOURVILLE — Three seniors hit home runs on senior day as the Union College baseball team defeated Milligan College 17-7 in eight-innings to take the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) series on Saturday.

All homers were in the seventh inning as Joe Gaines started off the inning with a solo shot on a 3-2 count. Ivan Objio went yard later in the inning, scoring his fourth dinger of the year with a two-run home run. Ty Holmstrom finished out the inning with his ninth homer of the season with a three-run job over the left field fence.

With the win, the Bulldogs move to 24-22 overall and 15-12 in the AAC, while the Buffaloes fall to 20-24 on the season and 11-15 in conference action.

RECAP

Union had to battle to start out senior day as Milligan jumped out to a 3-0 lead after five innings of play. In the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs tied the game after an RBI single from LoLo Williams, a Buffalo error, and an Objio single to score pinch-runner Joseph Hensley to make it 3-3.

The seventh inning was where all the magic happened, starting with Milligan taking the lead back 5-3 after the top. In the bottom, Union put their bats to work scoring 11 runs in the form of three homers, a Holmstrom triple, a Sinjin Shoop single, and a Nick Shumaker sac fly.

The Buffaloes cut into the Bulldogs’ lead, making 14-7 in the top of the eight. Union needed three additional runs to call the game via run-ruled and did so with a bases-loaded hit by a pitch and a Shumaker two-RBI single for the 17-7 win.

QUOTABLE

“We were all worried after the sixth inning when we weren’t playing our best,” said Gaines. “We didn’t want to go out losing the series and losing the game on senior day. In the seventh, I was leadoff and right off the bat I kind of knew it was a home run. It gave us the spark we needed.”

BULLDOG NOTES

Gaines led Union going 4-for-4 from the plate with three runs scored and two RBIs along with his fourth homer.

Holmstrom brought in five runners in one inning while going 3-for-5 with three runs for the game.

Dallas Green was also perfect from the plate, going 3-for-3 with two runs.

On the mound, the win went to Logan Groce for his second of the year as he struck out three batters.

Starter Nicko Cottone pitched three innings and allowed one run on four hits while striking out five batters.

NEXT UP FOR THE BULLDOGS

Union will next play in the AAC Tournament, which begins on Wednesday in Kingsport, Tenn.