Vassar Has Doubleheader Sweep Over Anna Maria

By Steven Merritt

WINTER HAVEN, FL – The Vassar College Baseball team opened its season in Florida at the RussMatt Invitational as the Brewers earned a dominate 19-4 victory against Anna Maria in the first game of a doubleheader, securing Head Coach Tad Skelley’s first victory, and then completed the sweep with a 7-2 win in the nightcap. Vassar moves to 2-0 on the young season while Anna Maria falls to 5-3 overall.

Game 1 – VC 19 AM 4 (7 innings)
Anna Maria struck first in the top of the second after Josh Batchelder and Matt Beuka each drew a walk and Alec Rich lifted a three-run homer to put the Amcats ahead 3-0. Tommy Sasso’s RBI single with two outs extended the lead to 4-0.

Vassar put together a big inning in the third as sophomore Will Darrell drew a leadoff walk followed by senior Bradley Markind being hit by a pitch. Senior Luke Barrientos laced a single up the middle to knock in Darrell for the first run of the inning.

Senior Birch Herring-Jackson laid down a bunt and Markind came around to score following a throwing error to set up second and third. Junior Jensen Bergman was then hit by a pitch and senior Ricardo Reyna drew a bases loaded walk to get the Brewers within one.

Sophomore Noah Stockman came through with a big two-out single to right center to score Herring-Jackson and Bergman to give VC a 5-4 lead. Darrell added the sixth and seventh runs of the inning on a two-RBI single to center to plate Reyna and Stockman.

Vassar posted another crooked number in the fourth as Herring-Jackson drew a leadoff walk along with Bergman being hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and senior Marc Milano drilled a double to straightaway center to knock in both runs.

Following a hit by pitch of Reyna, senior Daniel Laderman laid down a bunt and reached following a throwing error which plated Milano. Stockman came through with a two-RBI single to plate two more runs to put the Brewers ahead 12-4 after four innings.

The Brewers expanded the lead in the fifth as Herring-Jackson led off with a double to right center and came across to score on a single through the right side by Bergman. Milano then singled down the right field line and Reyna drew a walk to load the bases.

Laderman knocked in two runs with a line drive through the middle and a bases loaded HBP of Markind gave VC a 16-4 lead.

In the sixth, Vassar added three more runs following RBI singles from Laderman and first year Quillan Oberto.

For The Brewers
Stockman finished 3-for-4 with three runs batted in while Laderman finished with two hits, two runs scored and three RBI.

Milano recorded two hits, two runs and two runs batted in along with Bergman going 2-for-3 with four runs scored.

Darrell knocked in two runs while Herring-Jackson added a hit, a RBI and three runs scored.

Darrell started for VC on the mound as he went 3.2 innings, allowing four hits, four runs, five walks and struck out eight.

Junior Cade Terada-Herzer earned the win in relief as he tossed 1.1 scoreless innings and struck out four. Sophomore Patrick Mill added two scoreless innings in relief and struck out three.

For The Amcats
Rich drove in three runs with his home run while Jeremy Rosenberg and Sasso tallied two hits each.

AJ Guitron-Moore took the loss in relief as he lasted one-plus innings, allowing two hits, five runs (two earned), one walk and struck out one.

Game 2 – VC 7 AM 2 (7 inn.)
Vassar got on the board first in game two in the third inning as Barrientos, Herring-Jackson and Bergman all singled to load the bases with no outs.

Milano pushed the first run across with a sacrifice fly before Laderman doubled home two runs to make it 3-0.

The Brewers extended the lead to 5-0 in the fourth following a leadoff triple from Barrientos, who scored off a RBI double from Herring-Jackson.

Bergman singled to put runners at first and third and Milano cashed in on another RBI chance with a sacrifice fly.

The Amcats pushed two runs across in the bottom half of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Batchelde and Brady Aylward, who reached on a single, scored on a throwing error.

Vassar got the two runs back in the fifth as junior Taison Jemison reached on an error and then came around to score on a RBI single from Barrientos.

Bergman’s fielder’s choice groundout plated Markind, who drew a walk, to put VC ahead 7-2.

For The Brewers
Herring-Jackson went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored along with Barrientos going 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

Bergman knocked in two runs and had two hits while Reyna also added two hits and Milano drove in two runs.

Sophomore Grant Maryott earned the win as he threw five innings, giving up two hits, two runs (one earned), three walks and struck out seven.

Senior Jack Blau tossed a scoreless inning of relief while striking out three and Barrientos closed the game with a scoreless seventh inning with three strikeouts.

For The Amcats
Aylward, Matt Beuka and Rosenberg each recorded a hit while Aylward and Justin Chiulli each scored a run.

Michael Shorey took the loss as he went five innings, allowing 11 hits, seven runs (six earned), two walks and struck out two.