POUGHKEEPSIE, NY -- With a steady rain pouring from the start, Brain Sciubba (Wantah, NY/McArthur) pitched Vassar to a six-inning 3-1 victory over Liberty League rival Union College. The Brewers got the leadoff hitter on base in three of the first four innings, and each time he came around to score. Vassar is now 3-18 on the season and 2-13 in League play. Union falls to 6-17, and 5-10 in the Liberty League.
Devon Luongo (Hillsborough, CA/Crystal Springs Uplands) led off the top of the first with a single up the middle, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and came around to score on an RBI groundout from catcher Ari Glantz (Cambridge, MA/Cambridge Rindge & Latin).
The Dutchmen tied the score off Sciubba in the bottom of the second. After a lineout,
Zach Tillo (Lancaster, MA/Exeter) lined a single through the infield. Tillo moved to second on a groundout to third by
Ryan Bowes (Hamilton, NJ/ The Peddie School), and scored a run on a Vassar throwing error. Tillo went 2-for-2 on the day to lead the Dutchmen.
Vassar took the lead for good in the fourth, manufacturing a run after a leadoff walk from senior Jon Feingold (Florence, MA/Northampton). A bunt and a groundout moved Feingold to third with two outs. Second baseman Jon Mandel dropped a ball into shallow center to plate Feingold.
After an insurance run in the fourth gave Vassar a 3-1 lead, Union retired eight of the final 11 Brewer batters. Reliever
Brian McLaughlin (Norwood, NJ/ Old Tappan) allowed two hits in the final two innings.
Sciubba pitched five innings, allowing just an unearned run on three hits. He struck out three and walked two.
In the sixth, a leadoff Union walk gave the Dutchmen their last scoring threat of the game, but junior Dan Orme (Cambridge, MA/Cambridge Rindge & Latin came in to retire three of four batters to record the save.
Union starter
Eric Giovannone (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) pitched four innings, allowing three earned runs. He allowed five hits and a walk and struck out one.
Union is back in action in a pair of Liberty League doubleheaders at Clarkson on Saturday and Sunday. The Dutchmen face the Golden Knights at 1 p.m. Saturday and at noon Sunday to finish the season series.
