Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (March 24, 2010) – Behind a precise staff pitching effort and strong offensive support, the Vassar College baseball team picked up a 7-1 win over Mount Saint Mary College on Wednesday at Prentiss Field.

The Brewers improve to 3-4 in their final game before beginning Liberty League play. Vassar hosts Skidmore College for a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. The Blue Knights fall to 2-10 and host a Skyline Conference doubleheader against Farmingdale State on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.

Vassar used four pitchers to hold the Blue Knights to one run on six hits. Junior starter Daniel Berkowitz (1-0) earned his first collegiate win, allowing one run and scattering six hits with one walk in five innings. Sophomore Race Bottini followed with two shutout innings of relief work, recording two strikeouts, freshman Lawrence Flicker threw one strikeout in a 1-2-3 eighth inning, and freshman Zander Mrlik pitched the ninth, allowing no hits with one walk.

The Brewer bats gave their pitchers an early cushion in the first inning, as Vassar's first four batters reached and came around to score. Freshman shortstop Mike Perrone led off with a single and three consecutive walks scored Perrone, loading the bases for junior outfielder Devon Luongo. Luongo laced a liner under the Mount Saint Mary second baseman's glove to score junior first baseman Joe Bubar and sophomore outfielder Sal Costanzo. Junior designated hitter Joe Castilla followed with an RBI fielder's choice to give Vassar the 4-0 lead.

The Blue Knights look poised to respond in the top of the second, as sophomore Dan McCrea reached on a fielder's choice, senior Rich DeRosa singled up the middle, and senior Mike Umphlett drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. Berkowitz escaped the jam, however, inducing a groundout to third base and allowed just one hit over the next three innings.

Mount Saint Mary scored its run in the fifth as DeRosa led off with a single, advanced to second on a hit batsman, took third on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Michael Matuk and came home on an RBI groundout from sophomore Max Tecce.

Vassar responded in the bottom of the inning with some sharp hitting as Costanzo led off with a long double, advancing to third on a single from freshman third baseman Conor Gallagher. Although Blue Knight reliever Carl Henchy induced a double-play from the next batter to erase Gallagher from the base path, the Brewers kept the pressure on with two outs. Castilla doubled to left field to score Gallagher, and junior catcher Mike Plude singled to score Castilla as Vassar plated two runs on four hits in the inning.

The Brewers recorded 11 hits on the day paced by a 3-for-5, one run effort from Perrone, including a standup triple. Perrone also had a strong day at shortstop, backing up his pitchers with some impressive plays. Luongo was 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Plude was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a double. Castilla had two RBI and a double, and Costanzo went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a double.

Casey and DeRosa had two hits apiece for the Blue Knights. Junior Matthew Paci (0-2) took the loss, giving up five earned runs on four hits with three walks in 1.1 innings. Henchey finished the game, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with one walk and one strikeout.