POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 23, 2016) – The Vassar College baseball team scored nine unanswered runs over the last four innings, including four in the ninth, to come from behind to stun Rochester Institute of Technology 9-8 in the second game of a Liberty League doubleheader Saturday afternoon from Prentiss Field. VC knocked off RIT 9-1 in the opener to complete the twinbill sweep of the Tigers. The two teams will meet Sunday at noon with RIT serving as the home team in both contests.

Game 1 – Vassar 9, RIT 1
Vassar College scored four runs in the bottom of the first, and Brewer starter Jonathan Hong made the lead stand up with a dominating effort to capture the opening game of the day.

RIT (13-14, 7-7 Liberty League) opened the scoring in the top of the first, as Zach Zabel tripled to lead off the game and came around on an RBI groundout by Taylor Hogan. That was all that Hong would surrender to the Tigers, as he settled into a groove while not allowing another Tiger run to cross the plate.

In the bottom half, Vassar College (13-15, 8-6 Liberty) wasted no time getting its bats going, but the rally started thanks to some wildness from RIT starter Rory Little. Little hit the first two batters of the game, and Bobby Kinne singled in Mike Koscielniak to tie the game at one. Senior Nick Johnson came to the plate and doubled to left center field to score Brooks English and Kinne, giving VC a 3-1 lead.

The double for Johnson was his 50^th of his career, making him Vassar's all-time leader in doubles, passing Brett Zaziski and his 49 career two-baggers. Johnson would come around to score on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Eric Strickland.

The score would stay at 4-1 in favor of the Brewers until the bottom of the fourth, as VC plated five more runs, with the big blow coming on a bases loaded triple from Koscielniak. Later in the inning, Johnson launched his fourth career homer over the right field wall to finish the game's scoring.

RIT had chances in the fourth and fifth innings, but twice Hong induced inning-ending double plays to get out of the jam. Hong finished what he started in the seventh, striking out Will Gorman to earn the complete game victory. The senior starter allowed seven hits and two walks, fanning five batters over his seven innings of work.

Koscielniak was 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Johnson was also 2-for-3 with six total bases, three runs driven in and two runs. Senior catcher Dakota Sagnelli was also 3-for-3 with three singles, as seven different Brewer batters scored a run.

Game 2 – Vassar 9, RIT 8
Freshman Matt Schwartz laced a single up the middle with two outs to score Nick Johnson and complete one of the biggest comebacks in program history in the nightcap, as VC plated four in the ninth inning with two outs to earn the sweep. The eight-run comeback tied for the largest deficit overcome in a win by Vassar in program history, matching the eight-run deficit that VC erased against Purchase College on May 1, 2004 in a 13-9 win over the Panthers.

Down 8-0 going into the sixth inning, Vassar scored three runs off RIT starter Brian Reed, who had been cruising through five. Denis Shanagher initiated the rally with a ringing single down the left field line, and would score on a bases loaded walk by Johnson. Schwartz plated a run on a fielder's choice, and Eric Strickland posted a RBI single to score Bobby Kinne.

VC added two more in the seventh inning, as Brooks English plated Shanagher with a sacrifice fly after he walked earlier in the frame. Kinne also drove in a run with an RBI knock to right field, bringing Koscielniak around to score, and setting up the fireworks in the ninth.

With one out in the ninth, Shanagher drew a walk to start the rally, followed by a single from Koscielniak through the right side. After a fielder's choice by English pushed VC down to its last out, Kinne singled through the legs of RIT pitcher Bobby Bouchard to keep the rally going, scoring Shanagher and making the score 8-6, bringing Johnson to the plate.

On a 1-0 pitch, Johnson smashed a two-out, two-run double over Will Gorman's head in right field to tie the game at eight while sending the crowd into a frenzy. Two pitches later, Schwartz delivered the walk-off base hit, as Johnson hustled around third and slid into home just under the tag as the Brewers poured out of the dugout to mob Schwartz at first base.

The comeback would not have been possible though if it wasn't for the amazing relief effort from freshman Joe Conti, who got the win after pitching 6.2 innings out of the bullpen. He allowed three runs and six hits, striking out seven while retiring 13 of the last 14 batters he faced.

RIT grew its lead early in the contest, plating two in the first, three in the second and three more in the fifth inning before being helped scoreless over the final four stanzas. Kinne led the Brewers with four hits, two runs and two RBI, while Shanagher finished 1-of-2 with two walks and three runs scored. Koscielniak also scored twice for the Brewers, who finished with 10 hits in the contest.

Gorman had four hits for RIT in game two, and Daniel Zeglan added two hits in four at-bats for the Tigers. Reed went six innings on the mound for the visitors, allowing five hits while striking out seven Brewer hitters.