Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 14, 2010) – Despite scoring three runs in the first inning to take an early lead, the Vassar College baseball team managed to plate just one more run on Wednesday as SUNY New Paltz gained the lead in the fifth inning and held off the Brewers for a 9-4 win at Prentiss Field.

The Brewers fall to 6-15 and head to University of Rochester with a 2-10 Liberty League record for doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. The Hawks improve to 15-8 and host Ithaca College tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.

The Brewers scored three early runs and led 3-1 heading into the fifth inning, but the Hawks took the lead for good with three runs in the fifth and kept Vassar off the scoreboard until the ninth for the five run victory.

The Brewers got on board early with some efficient hitting as freshman Mike Perrone led off the first inning with a single up the middle, stole second, and scored on a single from junior outfielder Devon Luongo, who advanced to second on the throw. Senior outfielder Ari Glantz followed Luongo on base with a walk, and a base hit from sophomore designated hitter Sal Costanzo scored Luongo and moved Glantz to third where he scored on a one-out groundout from junior second baseman Joe Castilla.

In the third a deep double to left center from Clinton Boettcher plated the Hawk's first run and in the fifth, another two-bagger from Boettcher scored Joel Judson who reached on a one-out walk. The Hawks tacked on two more runs off RBI singles from Steve Pinckney and Philip Parker, chasing sophomore starter Race Bottini with one out in the inning as freshman Zander Mrlik entered to pitch and got a fielder's choice and a ground out to end the inning.

The Hawks added another run in the seventh inning as Thomas Pinnola hit a one-out infield single off Mrlik. With two outs, Parker blasted a shot to right center, scoring Pinnola but getting thrown out at third on a well-executed relay from right field that ended the inning with the Brewers trailing by a reasonable 5-3 margin.

However, the Brewers were unable to respond, missing out on scoring opportunities in the sixth and seventh. Glantz led off the sixth with a single and stole second and third with no outs, but Hawk pitcher Brett Harrison got three straight outs to end the inning. In the seventh, the Brewers loaded the bases with two outs but a hard hit ball from Glantz went right to the left fielder.

The Hawks gave themselves a comfortable cushion with four runs on four hits in the top of the ninth and although a Perrone RBI single in the bottom of the inning gave the Brewers their first run since the first inning, Vassar could not mount the comeback.

Perrone led the Brewers at the plate, going 3-for-5 with one RBI, one run, and one stolen base, while senior outfielder Adam Murphy went 2-for-4 with a double. No other Brewer had multiple hits while Luongo, Costanzo, and Castilla drove in runs.

Judson had an impressive all-around day, going 2-for-5 with three runs, and also earning the win as New Paltz's starting pitcher. Judson pitched five innings and improved to 4-0 allowing three earned runs on five hits with seven strikeouts to just one walk.

The Hawks pounded out 14 hits, paced by a 4-for-5, two doubles, three RBIs, one run effort from Parker. Boettcher was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run, Pinckney was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run, and Matt O'Neill added two RBIs on one hit.

Bottini took the loss for the Brewers, falling to 1-1. Bottini threw 4.1 inings allowing four earned runs on eight hits, with three walks and one strikeout.