SCHENECTADY, NY -  The Vassar College Baseball team brought the tying run to the on-deck circle in the top of the ninth but the Union Garnet Chargers held on for a 11-9 victory in the first game of a three-game Liberty League conference series on Friday afternoon at Central Park. The Brewers fall to 3-12 overall and 1-3 in conference play while Union improves to 10-3 on the season and 1-0 in Liberty League action.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Garnet Chargers scored first in the bottom of the first inning as Thomas Parisi reached on an error followed by Kobe Mentzer singling to make it first and second with one out. Following a hit by pitch of Andrew Keaveney, Caleb Miller lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to scratch out an early run.
• Vassar answered with two runs in the second as junior Marc Milano singled up the middle to leadoff the inning and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Taison Jemison. Following a base hit from junior Ricardo Reyna and a stolen base, junior Birch Herring-Jackson singled home Milano and senior Reid Lapekas' bunt single scored Reyna to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead.
• Union regained the lead in the third as Mentzer drew a leadoff walk before Keaveney doubled in the right center gap to plate Mentzer. Miller followed that up with a double of his own to score Keaveney to take a 3-2 lead. The Garnet Chargers added a third run of the inning when Miller scored on a wild pitch to give Union a 4-2 lead after three complete.
• Union's lead grew to 6-2 in the fourth as Liam McIlroy and Keaveney each walked and Mentzer reached on an infield single to load the bases with one out. Miller's fielder's choice groundout plated McIlroy and a throwing error scored Mentzer to extend the lead to four runs.
• Vassar drew even at six all in the seventh as Jemison singled to center followed by a hit by pitch of Reyna. Lapekas singled down the left field line to plate Jemison followed by sophomore Jensen Bergman knocking in Reyna with an one out single. Junior Daniel Laderman's RBI groundout scored Lapekas and senior Jack Silvera's RBI single knotted the game at six apiece.
• Union answered with a big bottom half of the inning as Dan Sheeran drove in two runs with a single along with a squeeze bunt from Ryan Cowles to plate a run and Keaveney's two-RBI double put the Garnet Chargers ahead 11-6 after seven full.
• Vassar struck for three runs in the top of the ninth as Milano blasted his first career home run to cut the lead to 11-9 with two outs but Alex Erickson induced a groundout to close out the Union victory.

FOR THE BREWERS

• Milano went 2-for-5 with three RBI along with Lapekas adding two hits and two runs batted in.
• Herring-Jackson, Bergman and Silvera each tallied two hits and a RBI while Reyna tallied two hits and two runs scored.
• Senior Michael Came started on the mound as he lasted three innings, allowing four runs (three earned), four hits, three walks and struck out two.
• Sophomore Cade Terada-Herzer took the loss in relief as he allowed four runs, two hits and walked two.

FOR THE GARNET CHARGERS

• Keaveney led the way going 2-for-3 with three RBI while Sheeran and Miller each added a hit and two runs batted in.
• Mentzer reached base four times with two hits and two walks and also scored two runs.
• Chris Suter took a no-decision as he went 6.2 innings, allowing 10 hits, six runs and struck out two.
• Garrick Godin earned the win in relief as he recorded one out in the seventh.

UP NEXT

• The two teams will finish the three-game series tomorrow afternoon in a doubleheader at Prentiss Field beginning at 12:00 p.m.