Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (May 1, 2010) – In its final non-Liberty League matchup of the season, the Vassar College baseball team dropped 14-8 and 7-3 decisions to Hamilton College on Saturday at Prentiss Field.

The Brewers fall to 8-25 and will conclude the season with four league games against Union College next weekend. Vassar hosts the Dutchmen for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m., and travels to Union for another twinbill on Sunday, starting at 12:00 p.m. The Continentals conclude the season with a 10-23 record.

Game One
In a back-and-forth opening game, there were seven lead changes, but a seven-run sixth put Hamilton in front for good.

The Continentals struck first as Sam Choate tripled in the second inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly from Jeremy Brenner. However, the Brewers responded with five two-out runs in the bottom of the inning. Junior designated hitter Joe Castilla drew a walk, scoring on consecutive singles from junior catcher Mike Plude and junior first baseman Joe Bubar. Sophomore second baseman Liam Lee was hit by a pitch to load the bases and freshman shortstop Mike Perrone threaded a two-run single through the right side of the infield to put runners on the corners. A delayed steal scored Lee and moved Perrone to second, where he took third on a wild pitch and scored on a single from senior outfielder Ari Glantz, giving Vassar a 5-1 lead.

Hamilton quickly answered, scoring five of its own in the top of the third. Alex Augustyn and Wes Mayberry hit consecutive one-out singles, both scoring on a double from Kevin Prindle. Grady Vigneau followed with a single and a three-RBI Choate home run over the right field fence gave the Continentals back the lead, 6-5. The Brewers tied game in the bottom of the inning, as sophomore outfielder Sal Costanzo led off with a double, scoring on consecutive ground outs.

The Continentals broke the tie in the top of the fourth off a Mayberry solo home run but Vassar took advantage of Hamilton miscues in the bottom of the inning to take a one-run lead. Lee was hit by a pitch, scoring on a throwing error that allowed Perrone to reach and advance to third where he then scored on a wild pitch.

However, down 8-7, Hamilton broke the game open in the sixth, with seven runs on six hits, bringing 12 batters to the plate. Augustyn had two singles and two RBIs in the inning while Mayberry had a single and an RBI double. Prindle and Brenner added RBI singles as the Continentals took a 14-8 lead and the Brewers managed just one hit in the final two innings.

Hamilton used five pitchers, with Eli McCargar pitching the final 2.1 innings and allowing just one hit with one strikeout to earn the win and improve to 2-2. Sophomore Scott Allen (1-4), entering in the third inning in relief of sophomore starter John MacGregor, took the loss, pitching two innings with seven runs, all earned, on five hits, striking out three and walking two.

The Brewers had just five hits in the loss, with Perrone contributing two RBIs and two runs. Lee added a double and two runs, and Costanzo had a double and a run. The Continentals pounded out 17 hits, paced by Mayberry who was 5-for-5 with a home run and a double, two RBIs and two runs. Choate had a triple and a home run with three RBIs and three runs, Augustyn went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs and Prindle was 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, and two runs.

Game Two
The Brewers struggled defensively in the second game, committing five errors and a four-run fifth inning boosted the Continentals to the sweep.

The Continentals scored a run in the second as Choate led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly from Max Foster. The Brewers answered in the bottom of the inning as Bubar doubled, scoring on a base hit from Perrone.

Hamilton added two more in the third. Augustyn led off with double, and scored when a bunt attempt by Mayberry was mishandled, allowing him to reach second. Mayberry later scored on a double down the line from Vigneau. In the fifth, the Continentals gave themselves a six-run cushion with four runs. Choate had the big hit, with a bases-clearing three-run double, later scoring on a RBI single from Andrew Perkowski.

The Brewers scored two in the sixth, as Perrone singled with two outs, stole second and scored on a single from Plude who plated a run on a double from junior third baseman David Ringold. Vassar could make no further dent in the Continental lead, however.

Freshman starter Lawrence Flicker took the loss for the Brewers to fall to 3-5, allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits, striking out five with two walks. Sophomore Dennis Tario threw two strong shutout innings of relief, striking out two with one walk. Continental starter Dan Kroening improved to 2-1 as he pitched 4.2 innings to earn the win, allowing just one earned run on five hits, though he walked six with two strikeouts.

The Brewers had nine hits in the loss, led by Perrone, Ringold, and junior outfielder Devon Luongo who all had two hits apiece, while Perrone added three stolen bases. Mayberry went 2-for-4 with two runs, while Choate was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs to lead Hamilton, which had nine hits.