From now until the end of the calendar year, the Vassar Athletic Department is counting down the Brewers' top 10 moments of 2018.  Moment No. 10 took place on May 6, when the baseball team swept a doubleheader with Bard on the final day of the regular season to clinch a spot in the Liberty League Tournament.  Vassar won the first game 4-2 and notched a 14-6 victory in game two to secure its second consecutive postseason berth.

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (May 6, 2018) – The Vassar College baseball team clinched their fourth overall and second consecutive Liberty League Tournament berth Sunday afternoon thanks to a doubleheader sweep of Bard College on Senior Day in play from Prentiss Field.  Vassar took the opening game 4-2 before rolling past the Raptors 14-6 in game two. 

With the victories, Vassar earned the No. 3 seed in the Liberty League Tournament, which starts Thursday afternoon at the University of Rochester.  The Brewers will take on No. 2 seed Union College at Towers Field on the campus of Rochester at a time to be announced.  Vassar claimed the No. 3 seed thanks to winning percentage, as the Brewers had a .524 conference percentage, just edging RIT (.523) and RPI (.522).

Game 1 - Vassar 4, Bard 2
The Brewers got three outstanding innings of relief from Max Spencer (San Diego, CA) and posted two runs in the bottom of the first to propel them to the win. 

In the bottom of the first, Bobby Kinne (Great Barrington,MA) doubled to right field to start the rally with one out, and came around a batter later as Matt Schwartz (Dix Hills, NY) singled to right-center to make the score 1-0.  Two batters later, senior Matt Hernandez (Corona, CA) punched a single to right-field to score Schwartz, followed by a single from Matt McGannon (Redding, CT).  Vassar nearly had two more runs, but Jake Doyle's (Seaford, NY) hard-hit ground ball that was destined for right field hit McGannon to end the frame. 

Vassar added another run in the bottom half of the third, as Doyle doubled in Hernandez, who previously reached on an error.  Bard didn't go away though, scoring two runs in the top of the fourth but John Madsen (Needham, MA) came in out of the 'pen and got out of a jam as the Raptors left the bases loaded. 

The Brewers got a big insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, as Jason Salerno (Dix Hills, NY) pinch hit and scored McGannon on a sacrifice fly to make the score 4-2.  That was all of the advantage that Spencer would need, as the lefty came in and allowed just three hits over three innings to earn the save.  A big play for Spencer came in the top half of the sixth, as he picked off pinch runner Michael Uhle at second base.  That proved key, as the Raptors' Lee Perry singled the next pitch, which would have brought Uhle around to score. 

McGannon finished 2-for-2 with a walk and run scored, while Doyle was also 2-for-2 with a double and sacrifice bunt.  Schwartz posted a 1-for-2 day with an RBI and run scored, walking once as well.  Jordan Myers and Jeff Goldrosen each had two hits for the Raptors, while starter Kyle Zigner went the distance, allowing nine hits and three earned runs. 

Game 2 - Vassar 14,  Bard 6
The Brewers posted six runs over the first three innings, and tallied eight over the final three to seal the sweep.  Vassar put three runs on the board in the bottom of the first, getting two right away on a double by Evan Trausch (San Diego, CA).  Two batters later, McGannon singled to center field to plate Trausch and make the score 3-0. 

An inning later, Vassar made the score 4-0 on a strange play, as  Tanner Blough (Carlsbad, CA) doubled to right field and the relay throw from the outfield missed everyone, which allowed Eric Strickland (Round Rock, TX) to come around from first.  Blough scored two batters later, as Schwartz lined a single to left field to give the Brewers a five-run lead. 

The Brewers pushed their lead to six with a single run in the third inning, but Bard rallied back with three runs in the fifth, two coming on a single from David Schlosser.  The Raptors threatened again in the top of the sixth, collecting three hits, but Myers grounded out to end the inning while leaving the tying run at first. 

Vassar extended its lead back out to six at 9-3 in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs on no hits and two errors from Bard.  In the inning, Vassar ran a planned base running play, as Kinne leaked off second base and drew a throw at second base which allowed Connor Levchuck (Greenlawn, NY) to scamper home. 

In the seventh inning, Vassar chalked up three more runs, as Levchuck singled in a run while Kinne drew a bases-loaded walk to score Chris Lee (Menlo Park, CA), who had singled earlier in the inning.  Bard tallied three runs in the eighth, but the Brewers grew their lead back up to eight at 14-6 as Bryan Rubin (Bryn Mawr, PA) and Levchuck each collected RBI singles. 

Rubin finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs, adding a double and stolen base, while Hernandez was 3-for-5 with two runs scored.  Levchuck entered the game off the bench and was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored to go along with two stolen bases.  Blough was 2-for-4 with a double and two walks, and Kinne was 1-for-3 with two runs scored, two hit by pitches and a walk. 

Joe Conti (Bloomingburg, NY) allowed three earned runs over six innings, scattering nine hits.  Alex Hartnett (Miami, FL) worked a scoreless frame out of the bullpen.  Rubin came in to close the game, striking out three of the four batters he faced.