Vassar Brewers Split Doubleheader With Raptors

By Steven Merritt

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON – The Vassar College Baseball team fell in the first game of a Liberty League doubleheader with Bard, 21-3, before bouncing back and clinching its spot in the Liberty League Crossover Divisional Series with a 9-2 victory in the nightcap. Vassar improves to 11-19 overall and 6-7 (4-7 LL East) in conference play while the Raptors move to 6-25 on the season and 1-14 (1-10 LL East) in Liberty League action.

Game One – Bard 21 Vassar 3 (Seven Innings)
Bard put up a crooked number in the first inning as Gavin Gonzalez doubled home two runs followed by a RBI base hits from Michael Kurlan, Mike Lynch, Xavier Webb and Sam Dumper to go ahead 7-0.

The Raptors added a run in the second on a solo homer from Mike Hannan followed eight more runs tacked on in the third inning, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Kam Naficy.
Bard tallied five runs in the fifth on RBI singles from Naficy and Dumper along with bases loaded walks of Jimmy Famularo and Hannan.

Vassar scored its three runs in the sixth as senior Reid Lapekas tripled to right center to plate sophomore Jensen Bergman and junior Birch Herring-Jackson along with a sacrifice fly from senior Jack Silvera.

For The Brewers
Lapekas, Herring-Jackson, Bergman, Silvera and junior Daniel Laderman tallied a hit while Lapekas drove in two runs.

Senior Michael Came took the loss as he went one inning, allowing nine hits and seven runs.

First year Grant Maryott tossed 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing two hits, one walk and struck out two.

For The Raptors
Naficy finished 3-for-5 with four runs driven in while Kurlan went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored.

Webb recorded three hits, three runs scored and three runs batted in along with Dumper added three hits, two RBI and three runs scored.

Aidan Risse earned the complete game victory on the mound as he tossed all seven innings, allowing five hits, three runs and struck out eight.

Game Two – Vassar 9 Bard 2
Vassar opened the scoring in game two as Bergman doubled to left field before Silvera knocked him in with a two-out two-RBI single to the opposite field.

Bard knotted the game at one apiece on a bases loaded walk of Gonzalez before the Raptors went ahead 2-1 in the fourth on a RBI single from Lynch.

The Brewers regained the lead in the sixth when junior Michael Lee singled and senior Nick Greenhawt blasted his second homer of the season to put Vassar on top 3-2.

Junior Marc Milano plated Lapekas and Bergman with a single to left center in the seventh to expand the lead to 5-2.

Vassar tacked on to its lead in the eighth following a sacrifice fly from Silvera along with a RBI double from Laderman and a two-RBI single from Milano.

For The Brewers
Milano finished with two hits and knocked in four runs while Silvera reached base three times and drove in two runs.

M. Lee went 3-for-4 with a run scored while Bergman added two hits and three runs scored.

Laderman and Herring-Jackson each recorded two hits and a run scored while Greenhawt had a home run and two runs batted in.

Junior Pat Kerrigan started on the mound and took a no-decision as he went four innings, allowing six hits, two runs, three walks and struck out four.

First year Will Darrell earned his third victory of the season in relief, going the final five innings and giving up no hits, three walks and struck out four.

For The Raptors
Famularo and Lynch each tallied two hits while Gonzalez and Lynch each knocked in a run.
Spencer Azzara finished 1-for-4 with a run scored.

Kane Morgan took the loss on the mound as he went 5.2 innings, allowing seven hits, three runs, three walks and struck out four.