POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 5, 2017) – The Vassar College baseball team lifted the lid on its 2017 Liberty League and home schedules Wednesday, but couldn't push through in dropping both ends of a conference doubleheader with the University of Rochester in play from Prentiss Field. VC dropped game one 8-6, before falling 6-1 in the nightcap.

Rochester 8, Vassar 6
The visitors scored two runs on a Mark Davis double in the top of the seventh to break a 6-6 tie, as Rochester picked up the opening game of the day. The Yellowjackets (6-6, 4-2 Liberty League) scored first in the top of the first, as Grant Kilmer singled in Pete Carrier, who walked earlier in the inning. UR doubled its lead in the second, but VC answered with two runs in the bottom of the second on an error and double steal.

Rochester regained its edge in the fourth, as Aiden Finch posted an RBI double. Vassar bounced right back with a run of its own, as junior Matt Hernandez singled in Eric Strickland, who was pinch running for Matt Schwartz. Vassar had the bases loaded in the frame with one out, but couldn't push any more runs across.

In the fifth inning, the Yellowjackets tallied three times, two coming on a single to right center by David Reith to take a 6-3 lead. Vassar wouldn't go away, scoring two runs in the bottom half, as freshman Matt Martino got the rally going with a double to right center. Fellow newcomer Daniel Bonfiglio singled through the left side of the infield, and two batters later Martino scored on a fielding error to make the score 6-4.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Hernandez came through again with another RBI single to plate Bonfiglio. In the sixth, the host Brewers tied the game at six, as Martino drove in Bobby Kinne with a RBI single up the middle. In the seventh though, Rochester pushed two across and Kevin Ho got VC 1-2-3 in the bottom half to close the contest.

Martino finished 2-for-3 with a walk, RBI and run scored, while Kinne was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Hernandez added two hits and two RBI, and Denis Shanagher doubled to extend his hitting streak to five. Finch was 4-for-4 with three RBI for Rochester, and Rieth finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Each team posted 12 hits apiece, and left nine runners on base in game one.

Rochester 6, Vassar 1
A five-run fifth inning was the difference in game two, as the Yellowjackets completed the doubleheader sweep. UR got on the board in the third frame, as Carrier drove a single to right field to score Davis. Vassar knotted the score in the fourth inning, as Martino skied a deep fly ball to left field which was deep enough to score Kinne from third base and make the game 1-1.

That was as close as VC got though, as the Yellowjackets posted five hits and five runs, with the big blow coming on a two-run single by Kilmer to make the score 5-1. Vassar's bullpen was flawless though, retiring seven of the eight batters, but UR's pitching staff was stout as well as VC managed just four hits in game two.

Shanagher posted a two-hit contest, reaching in all three plate appearances for VC as he upped his hitting streak to six games. Kinne was 1-for-2 with a walk, and Bonfiglio also singled for Vassar. Junior John Madsen got the only batter he faced for VC, while freshman Robert Pinataro and sophomore Bryan Rubin each tossed scoreless frames.

Garrett Renslow allowed just one hit over five innings for Rochester, allowing one run. Carrier posted three of UR's 10 hits, while Tyler Schmidt also finished with two hits in three at-bats.

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Vassar will now have a quick turnaround, traveling to Rochester, NY to take on Rochester Institute of Technology at 1 p.m. Saturday for a doubleheader in Liberty League action.