POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - The Vassar College Baseball team battled back to tie the game at three in the eighth inning against Skidmore but the Thoroughbreds used a Nate Vandersea sacrifice fly in the ninth to earn a 4-3 victory in the opening game of the three-game conference series. Vassar fell to 4-14 overall and 2-5 in Liberty League play while Skidmore improves to 11-8 on the season and 4-0 in conference action.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Skidmore took an early 3-0 lead in the first two innings as Trey Bourque's sacrifice fly scored Jaden Torrado in the first followed by Ewen Donald's infield single that plated Zachary Leiderman and an error scored Owen Roy.
• Following four straight innings of scoreless ball, Vassar cut the lead to one in the seventh as junior Michael Lee singled to lead off the inning followed by a double from junior Marc Milano. Sophomore Taison Jemison singled through the left side to score Lee and a safety squeeze bunt from junior Ricardo Reyna plated Milano.
• Senior Reid Lapekas led off the eighth with a triple to right center and classmate Jack Silvera singled to center to tie the game at three.
• In the ninth, Eddie Galvao led off with walk and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Ewen Donald.  After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Vandersea lifted a sacrifice fly to score Galvao.
• Senior Ty Murray led off with a single to right field in the bottom of the ninth and pinch-runner junior Luke Barrientos stole second base. Junior Birch Herring-Jackson laid down a bunt single down the third base line to make it first and third with one out before Christian Giresi induced a double play to seal a series opening victory.

FOR THE BREWERS

• Lapekas finished 3-for-4 with a double and a triple and a run scored along with Milano tallying two hits, including a double, and a run scored.
• Silvera added a hit and a run batted in while Jemison and Reyna also had a hit and a RBI.
• Senior Michael Came took a no-decision as he went seven innings, allowing six hits, three runs (one earned) and two walks.
• Senior Joe Sabo took the loss as he tossed two innings of relief, giving up one hit, one run and walked two.

FOR THE THOROUGHBREDS

• Leiderman recorded a 2-for-3 day, including a double, and a run scored while Donald and Trey Bourque each added a hit and run batted in.
• Roy, Galvao and Torrado each registered a hit and a run scored.
• Ameer Hasan started for Skidmore as he threw seven innings, allowing seven hits, two runs, one walk and struck out four.
• Giresi earned his third victory of the season as he went two innings, allowing four hits, one run and struck out two.

UP NEXT

• The two teams will square off in a doubleheader on Sunday at Prentiss Field beginning at 12:00 p.m. where Skidmore will be the home team for both games.