Vassar Baseball Completes Series Sweep of Union

By Steven Merritt

SCHENECTADY – The Vassar College Baseball team completed two come-from-behind extra innings victories on Saturday afternoon as the Brewers swept the three-game series against Union in Liberty League action. Vassar earned an 11-9 victory in eight innings in game one followed by sophomore Marc Milano driving in the winning run in the tenth inning to complete the sweep with a 9-8 win. The Brewers improve to 19-13 overall and 6-6 (5-4 East Division) in conference play while the Dutchmen move to 12-17 overall and 4-9 (2-7 East Division) in Liberty League action.

VC 11 UNION 9 (8 inn.)
The Brewers scored four runs in the top of the first as junior Jack Silvera drove in senior Andrew Kanellis followed by a RBI infield single from senior Alex Warren that plated classmate Adam Talwalkar to make it 2-0. Senior Ezra Caspi laced a two RBI double to center to score Warren and Silvera to push its lead to 4-0. Union scored twice in the bottom half of the inning as Ryan Cowles scored on a VC error along with a RBI single from Caleb Miller that scored Jono Santos.

The Dutchmen took a 5-4 lead in the third as Santos doubled home Dan Sheeran followed by a RBI groundout from Miller. Liam McIlroy’s RBI single pushed Union ahead before Union expanded its lead to 7-4 in the fourth on a sacrifice flies by Santos and Miller.

Kanellis’ RBI single in the fifth plated junior Reid Lapekas until Santos’ RBI double in the sixth extended the Union lead to 8-5 entering the final inning of play.

In the seventh, freshman Jensen Bergman drew a bases loaded walk to trim the lead to two followed by a RBI infield single from junior Ty Murray and sophomore pinch-runner Luke Barrientos scored on a wild pitch to send it to extra innings.

Vassar plated three runs in the top of the eighth as sophomore Birch Herring-Jackson scored on a Lapekas RBI followed by a RBI sacrifice bunt from senior Christian Baaki.

Kanellis later scored on a passed ball to make it 11-8. Union scratched out one run in the bottom of the eighth on a RBI groundout from Colby Nash but senior Zach Magee induced a game-ending groundout to earn the game one victory.

Junior Michael Came started for Vassar as he went two innings, allowing six hits, five runs (four earned), one walk and struck out three. Freshman Addison Lee tossed 3.2 innings in relief and allowed five hits, three runs (two earned), two walks and struck out one. Magee earned the win as he threw two innings and gave up two hits, one run, two walks and struck out one.

Aidan McGee started for Union as he lasted 4.1 innings, allowing nine hits, five runs, one walk and struck out six. Jason Goldblum took the loss as he threw one inning in relief and gave up two hits, three runs, three walks and struck out one.

Kanellis, Caspi and sophomore Ricardo Reyna each recorded three hits for the Brewers as Caspi knocked in two runs and Kanellis scored three runs. Seven other players drove in a run for Vassar. Kobe Mentzer was 3-for-3 for Union while Santos drove in four runs with two hits and Miller knocked in three runs.

VC 9 UNION 8 (10 inn.)
The Brewers scored two runs in the first inning as Kanellis’ RBI single drove in Lapekas followed by Bergman’s RBI single through the middle to plate Baaki. Union answered with five runs in the bottom half as Mentzer doubled home Cowles while McIlroy singled home Sheeran to tie it at two. Mentzer scored on a double play turned by Vassar followed by a RBI single from Thomas Parisi and a RBI double to Jack Milone.

Murray homered for Vassar in the top of the second before Union scored on a balk and a wild pitch. The Dutchmen added another run in the third on a RBI groundout from Cowles to go up 8-3.

Vassar trimmed the lead to three runs on a RBI single from Baaki to plate Lapekas along with a RBI groundout from Caspi in the fifth and Bergman’s RBI groundout in the seventh made it 8-6.

In the eighth, senior Sam Brinster scored on a double steal with classmate Alex Warren before Kanellis’ RBI single knocked in Warren to tie the game at eight and sent the game into extra innings.

Warren drew a leadoff walk in the 10th and was advanced to second on a sac bunt from Lapekas. Following an intentional walk of Kanellis, Milano singled home Warren to end up sealing a three game series sweep for the Brewers.

Senior Joe Sabo started for Vassar as he allowed four runs while sophomore Jack Blau tossed three scoreless innings in relief. Senior Bryce Grathwohl earned the win as he threw three innings and gave up just one hit, no runs, one walk and struck out two.

Bryce Fournier started for Union as he went six innings, allowing nine hits, five runs, two walks and struck out four. Jason Goldblum took the loss in relief as he went 2.1 innings and gave up two hits, one run, two walks and struck out one.

Kanellis finished with four hits and two RBI while Lapekas tallied three hits and three runs scored and Bergman had two hits and two RBI. Sheeran, McIlroy, Parisi and Milone each had two hits for Union while five different players had a run batted in.