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                  POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 2, 2014) – The Vassar College baseball team finally opened Liberty League play Wednesday afternoon, knocking off visiting Skidmore College 9-3 in conference action from Prentiss Field.

                  The Brewers (4-3, 1-0 LL) had been waiting to get back onto the diamond since their spring break trip to Florida ended on March 19, but since returning from the Sunshine State had witnessed 10 games postponed because of rain, snow or field conditions. That wasn't the case Wednesday, as the field was green and the day was perfect for baseball.

                  Vassar College wasted no time getting on the board, scoring in its first at-bat for the fifth time this year. Junior Kyle Casey (San Diego, CA/Vista) singled through the left side with one out, and eventually scored on a two-out RBI single from sophomore Brooks English (Milton, MA/Milton Academy).

                  The Brewers doubled their lead on the Thoroughbreds (3-7, 0-1 LL) in the second, as freshman Denis Shanagher (San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius) plated Jason Garfinkel (Encino, CA/Harvard-Westlake) on a groundout after Garfinkel had singled to start the frame.

                  VC senior Joe Lovizio would run into trouble for the first time in the top of the fourth, as three Skidmore runners reached on errors. Lovizio was able to escape danger thanks to a bases-loaded, inning-ending 4-6-3 double play. In the bottom of the fifth, Vassar tacked on four more runs, benefiting from two errors from SC.

                  Senior Dave Robbins (Rumson, NJ/Rumson Fair-Haven) started the stanza by reaching on an error, and scored the next play as Shanagher's sacrifice bunt attempt was thrown up the right field line. Senior Brett Zaziski (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) was walked intentionally, but English drove in Shangher with a single, Zaziski sprinted home on a passed ball, and English came around on a RBI single by senior Parker Werline (Newport Beach, CA/Corona Del Mar).

                  The host Brewers would blow the game wide open with three more in the seventh, plating three runs on a hit by pitch, a walk and a sacrifice fly from Dakota Sagnelli (Rumson, NJ/Rumson Fair-Haven). Skidmore got on the board with three in the top of the eighth, but Connor Cucalon (San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius) came on and got the final five outs of the game to give VC the win.

                  Zaziski was 2-for-3 on the afternoon, nearly hitting his third homer of the season, settling for a double, triple and two free passes on the day. Zaziski upped his hitting streak to nine games, along with reaching base safely for his last 30^th straight contest. English had two hits, two runs and two RBI, and Werline drove in a pair.

                  Lovizio (1-1) was stellar on the hill for VC, getting the victory after allowing no runs while scattering three hits. Lovizio also struck out five and walked none. Freshman Adam Erkis (Villanova, PA/Radnor) was perfect in two innings of relief, fanning two Thoroughbred batters, and Cucalon struck out three in 1.2 innings on the hill.

                  Mat Marino was 2-for-5 for Skidmore, while Josh Brown drove in two runs in his lone at-bat of the contest. Nick Petrella (0-2) took the loss for Skidmore, allowing six runs (two earned) over five innings.

                  The Brewers will continue its five-game homestand Saturday with a Liberty League doubleheader against Clarkson University at 1 p.m. on Prentiss Field.