BLUEFIELD, Va. -- The Rams fell by a 4-2 margin in extra innings of their home opener at Bowen Field, but claimed a 6-3 win to split the Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader against (RV) Union College on Saturday afternoon.

Ryan Lawson pushed his consecutive games reaching base streak to 16 games thanks to hits in both contests. Meanwhile, Garrett Schilling had his team-best fifth multi-RBI game, slugging a two-run homer in game two. Tyler Timmer and Will Kane each logged a pair of doubles in the second game and both tallied an RBI to help the Rams earn the Sunday split.

Game 1
The Rams were able to work out of jams in the first two innings, in which Union stranded five runners. Justin Elder was hit by an Alex Haas pitch to open the game, later scoring to give Union a 1-0 lead in the first.

Haas struck out Nelson Price to close the second inning with the bases loaded, keeping it a 1-0 game.

Tyler Timmer then drew a one-out walk in the bottom half. After stealing second, Daniel Copeland traded places with the shortstop on a double down the left field line which pulled Bluefield even, 1-1.

Both pitchers settled in through the middle innings, as a stretch of zeros filled in on the scoreboard. Despite walking five on the day, Haas also struck out seven Bulldogs in his five innings of work.

Dylan Ruth relieved the Rams' starter in the sixth after Wilson reached on a walk to start the inning. Ruth sat down the first two batters he faced, before a walk of his own. But, a fly out stranded two more runners for Union and kept the game tied.

Both teams threatened to break the tie in the seventh. Elder led Union off with a single. After another strikeout from Ruth, a pair of walks loaded the bases. However, Ruth was able to corral a comebacker and turn it into a 1-6-3 double play to hold the visitors.

Timmer led off the bottom half with a single. He then advanced on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, but a strikeout sent the game into the eighth as Union starter Matt Hasenbeck held Bluefield to just three hits in seven innings of work.

Union then took advantage of a pair of Bluefield errors in the eighth inning, both coming on throws to first base. One run scored on a wild throw from Timmer and two more came in as the Rams tried to turn another double play and the toss to first was off the mark.

Bluefield added one run in the bottom half, but fell by a 4-2 margin. Ruth took the loss (0-2) while Hasenbeck (3-0) earned the victory and Matt Hamons claimed the save.

Game 2
Lawson doubled to lead off the first and starter Wonder Castillo was immediately pulled for an apparent injury. A double from Kane scored Lawson for the 1-0 lead.

Union came back with a pair in the second, as second-game starter Chaz Miller walked the bases loaded and gave up a 2-RBI double to Elder. A fourth walk in the inning led 10th-season head coach Mike White to bring on Kaleb Houchins, who struck out price to keep the damage to a minimum.

The Rams came back with two runs of their own in the second, thanks in part to a trio of Union miscues. Sawyer McLamb reached on an error. After stealing second, McLamb scored on a Tyler Rome single. Rome then stole second and advanced to third on a wild throw from catcher Jackson Arnett. Chris McCollister walked and added another stolen base to the Rams' tally. The inning continued with as shortstop JD Burrell misplayed a grounder at short and Rome came in to put the Rams back on top, 3-2. Alex Fuller then took the mound for Justin King, getting a Bluefield lineout to halt the rally.

Schilling pushed the Rams lead to 5-2 on his third home run of the year in the bottom of the third, and neither teams scored in either of the next two innings.

Corey Corum singled for Union with one out, and advanced as Houchins' pick-off attempt was off-target. A single scored Corum to make it 5-3. Zach Tapia got one out in relief before giving way to Ruth, who forced a fly-out in foul territory as Union stranded a pair.

Back-to-back doules from Kane and Timmer pushed the Rams advantage back to three, 6-3. Ruth then closed out the final frame with a pair of strikeouts to seal the Ram win.

Houchins picked up his first win of the year while Ruth snagged his third save. King took the loss for Union.

The nine-inning series finale will be played Monday, with first pitch scheduled for noon. The Rams will then turn around to host Ohio State Lima at 6 p.m. in the first game of a three-game set against the Barons.