Vassar Drops 9-6 Non-conference Decision

LOS ANGELES, CA – Host Occidental College scored seven runs over the opening three innings, and that proved to be enough as the Vassar College baseball team dropped a non-conference decision 9-6 in play from Anderson Field.

The Tigers (12-8) posted three runs in the first two innings off of Vassar starter Patrick Fitzgerald, but the Brewers battled back with a huge five-run top of the third to take a 5-3 lead. In the frame, Elliott Layne and Evan Trausch both singled in runs and Daniel Bonfiglio and Matt Schwartz both posted RBI doubles.

Occidental wouldn’t trail for long though, scoring four unearned runs in the bottom half of the third to regain a 7-5 advantage. Vassar put runners on second and third in the fifth inning on a Taylor Smach double and a Bonfiglio single but couldn’t push a run across to pull closer.

The Brewers did cut the game to 8-6 in the top of the seventh inning, as Layne doubled to left center to start the inning. Layne moved to third base on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Trausch. Once again, OC match the Brewers with a run of their own to finish the game’s scoring.

Vassar threatened in ninth inning, as Bobby Kinne singled to start the frame followed by a two-out walk from Smach to put the tying run at the plate but the Tigers clinched the win with a flyout by Bonfiglio.

Layne finished 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI for Vassar, while Bonfiglio was also 2-for-5 with a run and RBI as well. Kinne added two hits in four at-bats, and Schwartz chalked up two doubles and an RBI for Vassar.

On the mound for vassar, Fitzgerald allowed three earned runs and struck out two Tiger hitters before handing the ball to senior John Madsen. Madsen surrendered just one hit and one walk to record a scoreless inning. Fellow senior Derek DeMild allowed no runs in the bottom of the eighth as well for VC. Freshman Matt McGannon also allowed just one earned run in three innings of work, striking out five batters.