POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Vassar baseball team fell behind early against Union on Tuesday afternoon and could not manage a late comeback, losing 5-9 to the Dutchmen. Vassar falls to 9-13 overall and 2-6 in the Liberty League with the loss. The Dutchmen move to 9-11 and 4-5 in the conference.

After a scoreless first inning, Union tacked on three runs at the top of the second. Senior Dawson Dullnig struck out the lead-off batter, but Anthony Ruzzo then singled in Justin Cabanas for the opening run. Sebastian Pike scored on a wild pitch, and a single from Jack DiNanno brought Ruzzo home to make it 0-3.

First-year Ricardo Reyna reached third at the bottom of the second but was left on base. A Jack Davis double down the left-field line allowed Sam Strazza to get home, and the Dutchmen led 0-4. Union pushed its lead to six runs at the top of the fourth when Kobe Mentzer tripled to center field to bring one run in. Mentzer then scored on a Cabanas sacrifice fly.

Vassar gained some momentum in the fourth after junior Nick Greenhawt hit a home run to left-center field to cut the score to 1-6. The Dutchmen scored again in the fifth following a Thomas Parisi double and then went up 1-8 in the sixth after a Vassar error.

Junior Christian Baaki used a sacrifice bunt to get Adam Talwalkar home at the bottom of the sixth. Vassar tacked on three runs in the eighth, with Baaki singling in Talwalkar. Sophomore Reid Lapekas hit a single to shortstop to give Reyna a run, and then an Ezra Caspi single brought Greenhawt home.

Union scored one more time, and the Brewers got two runners on base in the ninth. The Dutchmen prevented the comeback and struck out two Vassar batters in the final frame.

Dullnig (1-2) went 2.2 innings with five hits, four runs, and four strikeouts. Union's Chris Murdock (2-1) pitched 5.0 innings and gave up three hits and one run while striking out five batters.

Vassar returns to action on Wed. Apr. 13 to host CCNY at Prentiss Field at 4 p.m.