Baseball | 4/27/2013 6:59:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT baseball team (10-17, 5-13 Liberty League) dropped a pair of crucial Liberty League contests, falling to league rival Vassar (13-15-1, 9-11 Liberty League) by scores of 9-0 and 5-4 in 10 innings on a picture perfect Saturday afternoon at Tiger Stadium.

In game one, Vassar smacked 10 hits, scoring four times in the first inning, twice in the second, and three more times in the fourth inning to earn the decisive win.

Vassar pitcher Joe Lovizio was dominant, allowing just two hits, while striking out six batters in the 92-pitch shutout. He allowed just a leadoff single to Jaren Bell (Rochester, NY/Brighton) in the first inning, and a fourth inning single from #Taylor Hogan.

Nick Johnson was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI's to lead Vassar offensively. Brooks English was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored, while Mike Perrone scored three times and stole two bases. Brett Zaziski and Jason Garfinkel drove in a pair of runs each.

RIT starter (West Babylon, NY/Landmark)Tyler Leichtenberger# took the loss, while Reuben Brenner-Adams (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca (Lehman Alternative)) pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

In game two, Vassar scored the winning run on a controversial call in the 10th inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Johnson hit a ground ball to Hogan, who flipped to second baseman Ronnie Canestro (East Amherst, NY/Nichols) for one out. Canestro pivoted to turn the double play, got a solid throw off to first, but was taken out by Zaziski, allowing Johnson to just beat the throw to first. RIT contested that the take out slide by Zaziski was illegal, but much to the chagrin of the coaching staff and fans, the call was upheld, allowing the winning run to score.

Both teams got off to a great start offensively in the night cap, as Vassar sandwiched two runs in each of the first two innings, around a three-run RBI first. After Vassar scored both runs on an error in the first inning, RIT used three hits in the bottom half of the frame to score three times and take a 3-2 lead. CJ Bolorin (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) led off with a single and moved to second on a passed ball. After advancing to third on a ground out, Bolorin scored RIT's first run of the day on a single by Canestro. Skip Flanagan (Framingham, MA/Bishop Feehan) then laced a triple to right center, scoring Canestro to tie the game. Brian Brazee (Auburn, NY/Auburn) grounded out, scoring Flanagan to give the Tigers their first lead of the day.

Vassar tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the second inning to take a 4-3 lead. In the eighth, RIT tied the game with one out, as Brazee hit a hot shot with the bases loaded in the hole that was smothered by the second baseman, but was enough to score Walt Roman (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport).

In the ninth, Vassar had the bases loaded with one out, but Seth Noreman (Old Bethpage, NY/Old Bethpage-JFK) was able to get a strikeout and groundout to keep the game tied.

Johnson was 3-for-6 with a pair of runs batted in for Vassar in the nightcap. Starter Johnny Mrlik went seven innings, allowing five hits and three runs. Connor Cucalon pikced up the win in relief, allowing four hits and a run in three innings.

Canestro, Flanagan, and Hogan had a pair of hits apiece in game two for RIT. Michael Burns (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) allowed eight hits and one earned run in five innings. Brian Sheridan (Trumansburg, NY/Trumansburg) came on in relief and did a tremendous job, allowing just two hits in three scoreless innings. Noreman got through the ninth, while Conor Herlihy (Geneseo, NY/Geneseo) took the loss, allowing the game-winning run in the 10th inning.

In between games, RIT honored seniors Brian Brazee (Auburn, NY/Auburn) and Greg Schworm (Rochester, NY/Churchville Chili). Vassar now leads the all-time series between the two schools, 5-3.

RIT and Vassar complete their season series with a doubleheader on Sunday that gets underway at 12 p.m.