POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 7, 2018) -- The Vassar College baseball team took both ends of a Liberty League twinbill Saturday afternoon, knocking off Skidmore College 2-1 and 7-6 in action from Prentiss Field on a chill day from Prentiss Field. The Brewers have now won four straight conference games, heading in Sunday's doubleheader at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. 

Game 1 - Vassar 2, Skidmore 1
The Vassar College baseball team got a strong 6.2 inning start from sophomore Max Spencer, and senior John Madsen came in and earned the save as the Brewers held on to earn a 2-1 victory in a pitcher's duel in game one. VC only managed four hits for the game off of Skidmore starter Spencer Anderson, but it was enough thanks to some timely defensive plays and clutch hitting. 

Skidmore put runners on the corners in the second inning, but Spencer ended the threat by picking off a runner at first base. That would enable the Brewers to take the lead in the bottom of the third, despite not posting a hit in the inning. Junior catcher Jake Doyle walked, and was sacrificed to second base by senior Eric Strickland. Two pitches later, Doyle broke for third base and stole the bag to put himself at third with one out, and freshman Tanner Blough executed a perfect squeeze play to plate Doyle. 

The Brewers gave themselves a much needed insurance run in the bottom of the fourth, as senior Matt Hernandez singled with one out to start the rally. After moving to second base on a ground out, Hernandez was brought around thanks to a RBI double laced by junior Bryan Rubin. That run proved to be important in the seventh inning, as Skidmore posted a run on a Nate Scheinman RBI single, but Madsen came on to get Will Potter to pop out to end the game with the tying run as second base. 

Spencer allowed five hits and three walks while striking out four batters, while Madsen got the only batter he face. VC also got hits from senior Bobby Kinne and sophomore Evan Trausch in the contest. 

Game 2 - Vassar 7, Skidmore 6
Freshman Matt McGannon earned his first collegiate win, gutting out 5.2 innings while allowing three runs, and Kinne hammered his fourth homer of the season to help VC secure the sweep. The game was only the second time this season in eight chances that Vassar didn't score first and was able to come back for the win.

Skidmore tallied twice in the top of the second inning, getting RBI singles from Potter and Mike Fogerty to make the score 2-0. VC came right back with four runs on six hits in the bottom half of the seventh, with the big knock coming on a two-run line drive single from Kinne. Freshman Jason Salerno also had an RBI single in the frame, while junior Matt Schwartz followed Kinne with an RBI single of his own. 

VC made the score 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth, as Kinne walked the start the rally and moved to third on a long double by Schwartz to right-center. Two batters later, Hernandez singled to left field to score both Kinne and Schwartz. 

Skidmore got a run back in the top of the sixth, but Vassar regained its four-run lead in a big way in the bottom of the sixth as Kinne hammered a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall for his fourth big fly of the season. That run would play a big factor though, as Skidmore pushed back in the top fo the eighth. 

In the frame, the Thoroughbreds (9-10, 4-6 Liberty) scored three unearned runs, and nearly tied the game but the rally was shut down as Blough made a diving catch on a sinking line drive to end the inning while leaving two aboard. In the ninth, senior Derek DeMild came on for the Brewers and worked around a one-out walk to earn his first save of the season. Both teams struggled to score their base runners in the second game, as Skidmore stranded 15 runners on base in the game while VC left 10 aboard. 

Kinne finished 3-for-4 with three runs driven in and two runs scored, also helping VC turn two huge double plays in the game. Sophomore Daniel Bonfiglio was 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Schwartz finished 2-for-3 with a RBI, run scored and sacrifice bunt. Junior Chris Lee was also 2-for-4 with a run for Vassar, as eight of the nine starters in game two had at least one base hit. Freshman Logan Willans worked two innings of relief for Vassar, allowing five hits and three unearned runs, while DeMild fanned two in his scoreless ninth. 

Shawn Klier had four hits in five at-bats for Skidmore in game two, while Sam Beck came on and worked 2.1 innings of scoreless relief for the Thoroughbreds. 

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The two teams get back together Sunday at noon in Saratoga Springs, NY at Castle Diamond for another Liberty League doubleheader.