Schenectady, N.Y. - September 21, 2019 - Despite a fourth-quarter push, the Springfield College football team was edged by Union, 27-17, at Frank Bailey Field on Saturday in non-conference play.

Springfield wrapped up non-conference action on Saturday and dropped to 1-2 on the season, while the Dutchmen improved to 3-0.

The Pride had 234 yards of total offense, as Chad Shade (Pittsfield, Mass.) ran for 78 and threw for 63 yards and a score. Tim Callahan (Enfield, Conn.) added 32 yards and a touchdown, while Nick Kneski (Riverhead, N.Y.) hauled in a touchdown grab.  The Pride's offense turned the ball over three times and was limited to just 3-of-13 on third-down conversions.  AJ Smith (Rahway, N.J.) had 11 tackles, including four stops for a loss of 14 yards, while Mark Montano (North Haven, Conn.) also registered 11 tackles and forced a fumble. 

After forcing Union to punt on their opening posession, Springfield took over on their own six-yard line.  However, just two plays into its drive, Springfield fumbled in its own endzone and Dante Scott fell on the ball to give the hosts a 7-0 advantage at the 10:24 mark.   After the Pride's next drive stalled out at Union 49, Patrick Tuohy (Columbia, Conn.) pinned the Dutchmen on their own seven yard line with a 42-yard punt.  Joe Burke (Wantage, N.J.) recovered a fumble on Union's next play, but despite terrific field position, Springfield was unable to find the endzone and settled for a Christian Hutra (Holmes, N.Y.) 26-yard field goal with 2:00 left in the opening quarter.

The hosts would score their first offensive touchdown of the game with 14:07 left in the half on 10-yard run by Ike Irabor, which capped off an eight-play, 50-yard drive that featured Union converting a 4th-and-8 from the Springfield 29.  Springfield's next drive would end with an interception, and 12 plays later, Joseph Ferreira rushed in from 10 yards to make it a 21-3 game with with 32 seconds left.  The Dutchmen again kept the drive alive by converting on 3rd-and-19 after the Pride was flagged for holding.

Ferreira added his second score of the game with 2:20 remaining in the third quarter as he plunged in from a yard out to push the hosts lead to 27-3.  Springfield fumbled inside the red zone just three plays into the fourth quarter, but Montano forced a Union fumble three plays later and Kyle Niehr (Bay Shore, N.Y.) recovered  the ball on the six-yard line to give the Pride great field position.  Two plays later, Callahan muscled his way into the endzone to make it a 27-10 game with 11:42 on the clock. 

Shade connected with Andrew Smith (Northport, N.Y.) for a 48-yard strike and later rolled out on 4th-and-goal to find Kneski for a touchdown at the 3:15 mark to pull the Pride within 27-17.   However, Union ran out out the clock on the final drive of the game for its third win of the year.

Springfield will begin New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play next Saturday when it hosts WPI at 3 pm on Stagg Field. 

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