Vassar Brewers Baseball Falls to Westfield State

AUBURNDALE, FL – Vassar College freshman infielder Daniel Bonfiglio chalked up three hits and reached base all four times Monday, but the Brewer baseball team dropped an 8-3 decision to Westfield State in action from the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational at Lake Myrtle Park.

Vassar College (1-2) got on the board in the top of the second inning, posting four straight hits with two outs to take an early lead. In the frame, freshman Connor Levchuck singled on a high-chopping ball past the second baseman, followed by the first collegiate single from Evan Trausch.

Bonfiglio singled through the left side to load the bases, and sophomore Alex Hartnett scored a run for Vassar, singling off Westfield State pitcher Nick Cunningham’s foot after a wild pitch plated a tally for VC to make the score 2-0. Junior shortstop Matt Hernandez also drove in a tally with a single to left field, scoring Bonfiglio.

The Owls (3-2) would respond with four runs to take the lead in the bottom half of the third inning, as Colin Dunn singled in a pair of runs and Alex Lafayette also had a run-scoring double down the left-field line. The teams would go the middle innings scoreless, as Vassar junior hurler Derek DeMild was great in relief, tossing 3.2 innings while fanning three Owl batters.

The only mistake that DeMild made on Monday morning was to his final batter, as John Lippincott touched off his first homerun of the season to make the score 5-3. Westfield State added three runs in the bottom of the eighth, and though the Brewers scored two runs in the top of the ninth it wasn’t enough to earn the victory.

Bonfiglio registered two runs scored in addition to his three hits, and sophomore Jake Doyle was 2-for-4 as well. Harnett finished with two hits for the Brewers, and freshman Robert Pinatarp singled in his first collegiate plate appearance. Junior John Madsen tossed a 0.1 inning of relief, allowing no runs, and sophomore Jesse Mulham also got his only batter faced as well out of the bullpen.

Dunn led the Owls with three hits and three RBI Monday, while Arismendy Larancuent also was 2-for-4 with two runs and Lafayette added two hits as well for Westfield State.

Cunningham earned the win for Westfield State, scattering 11 hits over six innings, allowing three runs over 98 pitches.

Vassar will be taking on Cairn University Wednesday morning at 9:15 a.m. in action from Lake Myrtle Stadium Field.