Vassar sweeps Union in baseball twinbill, 2-1 and 12-7

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. Shortstop John Mandel had five hits in two games to lead Vassar to a Liberty League baseball sweep over Union Saturday at Buck Ewing Field. The Brewers won the first game in seven innings, 2-1, and took the nine-inning nightcap, 12-7. Vassar improves to 10-14 overall and 2-2 in the Liberty League, while the Dutchmen fell to 5-12 overall and 1-3 in the conference.

In the first game, Union freshman Kevin McCormick (Utica/Utica) was outdueled by Vassar starter Kristaps Aldins (Westwood, MA/Buckingham, Browne & Nichols) and reliever Adam Gallari (Levittown/Chaminade). McCormick gave up eight hits and two earned runs in the complete game defeat, walking one and striking out four. Aldins also allowed eight hits and struck out two but gave up just one earned run in six innings, while Gallari nailed down the save with a scoreless and hitless seventh.

Mandel and Nate Webb (Northport/Northport) had two hits each for the Brewers and Vassar had two doubles, the only extra base hits allowed in the contest. Webb had a two-out RBI double scoring Wil Sugarman (San Francisco, CA/Lowell) in the fifth inning, and later scored the second run on a double steal for a 2-0 Vassar lead. Union got on the board in the sixth when Brian Rhone (Dedham, MA/Loomis Chaffee) drove home Jeff Viamari (Longmeadow, MA/Tabor Academy).

In the second game of the day, Union jumped out a 2-0 lead through two and led 4-3 after three. But Vassar put five on the board and batted around with a six-hit inning in the fourth. The Brewers also added three in the sixth. Union starter Eric Giovannone (New Hartford/New Hartford) gave up four earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. Chris Beattie (Bellerose/Stuyvesan) got the win, and he gave up eight hits and five earned runs in six innings. Brian Sciubba (Wantah/McArthur) did not allow a hit in the final three innings, retiring all nine batters for the save.

Aldins had two hits and three RBIs while Madnel had three hits and Marc Ramos (Rochester/Spencerport) drove in three Brewers. Ben McGuire (Gloversville/Gloversville) had two hits and two RBIs while Zach Tillo (Lancaster, MA/Exeter) and Seth Weinberg (Scarsdale/Scarsdale) had two hits each for the Dutchmen.