POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 13, 2018) -- The Vassar College baseball team dropped both ends of a Liberty League doubleheader with Clarkson University Friday afternoon, falling 3-1 in the opener and 9-2 in the second contest. 

Game 1 - Clarkson 3, Vassar 1
Clarkson starter Andrew Smith out-dueled Vassar starting pitcher Max Spencer in game one, as the pair both tossed complete games but two runs in the bottom of the first proved to be the different for the Golden Knights. 

Vassar scored first though in the top of the first, as junior Jake Doyle singled to start the frame, and came into score on a sacrifice fly by Evan Trausch. Clarkson answered back with two outs in the bottom of the first, as Dom Pariso scored two on a single to left field to score boy Vince Granuzzo and Brad Pearson. 

VC threatened in the top of the third, loading the bases on a pair of singles and hit by pitch, but Smith got out of the inning thanks to a double-play ball. Spencer retired nine in a row from the third inning to the fifth, but Clarkson scored an insurance run in the frame as Nate Burns tripled and score on a sacrifice fly by Will Coleman. 

In the seventh, Vassar got the lead-off batter on thanks to a double by Bryan Rubin, but Smith got the next three batters to finish what he started. Doyle finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, while six others had singles for VC. Spencer allowed three runs over six innings, scattering six hits and striking out one. 

Smith finished with three strikeouts while allowing seven hits and one earned run in earning the win. Granuzzo and Pariso each had two hits for the Golden Knights. 

Game 2 - Clarkson 9, Vassar 2
Clarkson scored four runs in the bottom half of the first inning, never trailing in the 9-2 game two victory to sweep the conference doubleheader. 

Mike Krick highlighted the rally in the opening frame for Clarkson, driving in two with a single, while Jon Stockman made the score 4-0 with an RBI groundout. Vassar pulled to within three at 4-1 after an RBI double by Rubin. Clarkson posted two more in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 6-1, but VC posted its best chance in the top of the sixth. 

In the frame, Matt Schwartz singled to start the rally, followed by a single by Trausch. Rubin singled two batters later to score Schwartz, and junior Taylor Smach walked to load the bases with one out. The Brewers were unable to cash in though, as CU starter Ryan Riley worked out of the jam to leave the bases loaded. 

CU added one more in the bottom of the sixth and two more in the seventh to pull away for the win. Trausch was 3-for-4 for Vassar, while Rubin also finished 3-for-4 with two RBI for the Brewers. Schwartz also finished with two hits for the Brewers. On the mound, freshman Hawkins Hodges and sophomore Robert Pinataro worked scoreless innings of relief for VC. 

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The two teams will be back in action Saturday at noon for two more Liberty League contests on Prentiss Field.