Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WINTER HAVEN, FL (March 19, 2015) - The Vassar College baseball team was swept for the second consecutive day Thursday afternoon, falling to Clarkson University in both ends of a Liberty League doubleheader with scores of 6-5 and 10-4.

Game 1: Clarkson 6, Vassar 5
Clarkson erased a four-run deficit in the sixth inning, scoring five in what ended up being the deciding margin in a 6-5 win for the Golden Knights.

The Brewers plated a run in the opening frame to take the early lead, thanks to three straight singles. Freshman Bobby Kinne (Great Barrington, MA/Mountain Monument Regional) started the rally with a single up the middle, and moved to second on a Brooks English (Milton, MA/Milton Academy) single. Junior Nick Johnson (San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius Prep) would be the beneficiary of the previous hits, singling past the second baseman to score Kinne from second.

After the Golden Knights tied the score in the bottom of the first inning, Vassar regained the lead in the top of the third as junior catcher Cory Wuenschell (Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon) delivered a two-out single up the middle to score both Kinne and English. The Brewers added to their lead in the top of the sixth inning, posting a pair of runs to take a 5-1 advantage.

In the frame, freshman Eric Strickland (Round Rock, TX/Round Rock) singled with two outs to start the rally, and moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Senior Kyle Casey (San Diego, CA/Vista) delivered for Vassar, driving a double over the left fielder to make the score 4-1. Casey came around on the next play to put the Brewers up four, scoring after a single by sophomore Denis Shanagher (San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius Prep) and a throwing error.

That's when the Golden Knight's offense would come to life, starting the frame by loading the bases on two walks and a single. Paul Ludden scored a run on a sacrifice fly, and following a walk, Greg Jasek tied the game with a three-run double to left center. Clarkson plated the eventual game-winning run two batters later, as Dom Pirro grounded a ball to shortstop but a wicked hop caused Pirro to reach safely and allowed Jasek to score.

In the top of the seventh, Vassar put runners on first and second on a pair of walks by CU closer Ted Wilson, but the left-hander was able to get a fly out to end the contest. English was the lone Brewer with a multi-hit game for Vassar, while Kinne was 1-for-2 with a pair of free passes. Vassar starter Trent Berg (Milton, MA/Boston College) went five and a third innings, allowing eight hits and five earned runs.

Clarkson was paced in game one by John Coleman, who finished 4-for-4 with two runs scored. Pirro also added two hits, while starter Ian Castle earned the win after tossing six innings of eight hit, four earned run ball
.
Game 2: Clarkson 10, Vassar 4
The Golden Knights (9-1, 4-0 Liberty League) completed the four-game sweep of the Brewers over the last two days with a pair of big innings, scoring five runs in the second and three in the third to provide enough offense for the victory.

Vassar (1-5, 0-4 Liberty League) was the first to etch a tally in game two of the twinbill, as junior catcher Dakota Sagnelli (Rumson, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven) singled in Strickland in the second frame, who had previously reached scoring position on a single and stolen base.

The Brewers held the edge until the bottom half, when the Golden Knights exploded for a five spot. The first three runs came off the bat of Pirro, who deposited a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for his first homer of the season. Five batters later, Chris Miller doubled off the right field wall to plate another pair of runs for the Golden Knights.

The third inning saw Clarkson add to its lead, scoring three more runs highlighted by a RBI double by Pirro. Vassar added another run in the top of the fifth, thanks to a RBI single from Casey, and chalked up two in the top of the eighth but could get no closer.

Sagnelli finished with three hits in four at-bats in game two for the Brewers, while Robert Winkelmann (Wappingers Falls, NY/Beacon) tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. Johnson reached twice on a double and a walk, English was 1-for-3 with a RBI and two bases on balls for VC. Junior closer Connor Cucalon (San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius Prep) finished the game for the Brewers, allowing just one hit while inducing a pair of ground-ball double plays in two innings of work.

Nolan Driscoll paced the Golden Knights with five hits, and John Coleman and Paul Ludden each had three hits apiece for CU.

--

The Brewers are slated to take on Lehman College Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. for a non-conference doubleheader in Poughkeepsie, NY at Prentiss Field.