Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

POUGHKEESPIE, NY (April 19, 2009) – In the low-scoring second game of Sunday's doubleheader between Vassar College and Skidmore College, a run in the ninth inning edged the Thoroughbreds past the Brewers, 4-3, as Skidmore won both games at Prentiss Field on Sunday. The Thoroughbreds picked up a 10-2 victory in the first game as they swept the four-game Liberty League series between the two teams.

The Brewers fall to 5-20, 2-14 in the league. Vassar will host a non-league game against Stevens Institute of Technology this Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. The Thoroughbreds improve to 18-13, 9-7.

Game One
A nine-run first inning doomed the Brewers in the first game. Junior Jeremy Goldman drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a double from freshman Brian Lowry. A single from Anthony Ferri cleared the bases and spotted Skidmore a quick 2-0 lead. The Thoroughbreds continued to roll from there, as the first seven Thoroughbreds reached base and scored. Skidmore brought 13 batters to the plate to score nine runs on four hits and two errors, chasing freshman starter Scott Allen after a third of an inning. Senior Justin Morelli and junior Mike Jaffe also recorded RBI base hits in the inning.

Freshman Dennis Tario came in to relieve Allen and contained the Thoroughbreds for the remainder of the game, allowing just one earned run with nine hits in six and two-thirds innings. He walked three with three strikeouts.

The Brewers could not climb out of the 9-0 hole against Skidmore starter Nick Laracuente, who pitched a complete seven-inning game, allowing just two runs and five hits with nine strikeouts to two walks to improve to 3-3.

Vassar got on board in the fourth, as sophomore first baseman Joe Bubar led off with a single to right field and junior short stop Ari Glantz followed with a base hit to left field. Bubar later scored as sophomore second baseman Joe Castilla reached on a one-out error. The Brewers scored their second run of the game in the seventh as an RBI single from junior outfielder Adam Murphy plated sophomore catcher David Ringold who reached on a lead-off walk.

Ferri led the Thoroughbreds in the game with a 3-for-5, two RBI, one run performance. Morelli and Jaffe each chipped in two runs and an RBI apiece, and Lowry added two hits.

For Vassar, Murphy had two hits and an RBI and Bubar added two hits and a run.

Game Two
After both teams scored two runs in the first inning of the second game, the pitchers settled in, and just one run scored in the next six innings.

Sophomore outfielder Devon Luongo single-handedly gave the Brewers the lead in the fourth, blasting a leadoff triple to right field, and coming home on the play as the throw to third sailed into the Vassar dugout.

The Thoroughbreds tied the game in the eighth, as Lowry led off with a bloop single to right field. Ferri moved Lowry to second with a sacrifice bunt and an RBI single from Morelli tied the game, 3-3.

With one out in the bottom of the inning, Vassar freshman designated hitter Liam Lee blasted a hard hit to centerfield where Morelli nearly made an incredible catch but could not hold on to the ball. Smart base-running by Lee turned the double into three bases, as he raced to third on the throw. However, the Brewers were unable to regain the lead, as the next batter struck out, and though a hard hit grounder from Murphy looked like it would score Lee, an excellent diving stop by Ferri at short stop ended the inning.

In the ninth junior Adam Cornachione knocked a one-out single to left field. Junior Jake Mendell, the following batter, showed bunt, but then laced a base hit to right field to advance Cornachione to third. Leadoff hitter Goldman loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch and Lowry sent a first-pitch single into centerfield to score Cornachione with what proved to be the winning run. The Brewers escaped the inning in dramatic fashion as third baseman Ringold bobbled Ferri's hard-hit line drive, but then retrieved the ball, fired it home to Costanzo for the force-out, and Costanzo sent it back to third for the inning ending double play.

However, Skidmore reliever Tom Gruber retired the Brewers in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn his second save of the year.

After Vassar starter Tyler Bellstrom got two quick outs to start the game, Skidmore rallied to score two runs in the first inning. Ferri started things off with a single to center and Matt Pisani walked. Morelli scored Ferri with an RBI single and Pisani came home on an RBI base hit from Jaffe.

The Brewers responded in like fashion in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs with two outs as Glantz tripled and then scored on a wild pitch. Freshman catcher Sal Costanzo drew a walk and then tied the game as Castilla doubled down the left field line.

Bellstrom (2-5) had a solid day in the loss, pitching a complete game and scattering 12 hits with four earned runs. He pitched six shutout innings, including three 1-2-3 innings, and struck out three with one walk.

Junior James Bradley earned the win, as he held Vassar scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings, allowing two hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Starter Derek Stork received no decision, as he pitched six innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs, with four strikeouts and two walks.

Glantz was the only Brewer with more than one hit, going 2-for-4 with one run. For the Thoroughbreds, Morelli was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, Lowry had two hits, one RBI, and one run, and Cornachione added two hits and one run.