ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - For a 3-20 team that 1-15 in the Liberty League, Bard sure looks very close to breaking through and causing problems in the playoff chase.

For the second straight day, Bard threw a scare into Rensselaer, then faded late, before losing large in the second game of the doubleheader.

On Saturday, Bard lost 5-3 and 13-1. On Sunday, Bard lost 4-3 and 13-0.

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The first game became a surprising pitchers' duel - surprising because Bard freshman Steve Marotta was steller in his first-ever start. He held RPI to two hits through four innings. And in the bottom of the fourth, Bard took the lead.

David Schlosser belted a one-out triple to center - Bard's first hit against RPI starter Charles Parslow (Fonda, NY) - and Alec Montecalvo was intentionally walked. Parslow struck out Adam Carafotes for the second out. With Quinn McInerney at the plate, Montecalvo broke for second on a steal, which drew a throw, but then he stopped halfway there. Schlosser bolted home and the throw there was high, allowing Bard to take a 1-0 lead.

RPI (14-8 overall, 12-3 Liberty League) took the lead with two in the top of the sixth, then expanded it to 4-1 with two more in the top of the seventh. But the Raptors weren't done.

Dylan Long led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, but he was erased on a fielders' choice. Nick Kifyak doubled, putting runners at second and third with one out, and Matt Lasky greeted reliever Steve Schiavone (White Plains, NY) with a flared double down the left field line to cut the deficit to 4-3. Lasky moved to third on a groundout, and Schlosser walked. With two outs and the tying run at third, Carafotes grounded out to end the game.

Lasky went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI. Marotta gave up two runs on three hits over five innings.

Game 2 was all about RPI senior Sean Conroy (Clifton Park, N.Y.) He threw a complete game four-hitter with 16 strikeouts and two walks. The Engineers had seven extra-base hits, including a triple and homer from senior Jared Jensen (Kingston, N.Y.), who went 4-for-5.

Bard's next four games are outside of the Liberty League. They'll host Southern Vermont for a single game on Thursday at 4, then play a three-game weekend series with NYU. Saturday's doubleheader will be in Brooklyn, to be followed by a single game at Honey Field on Sunday afternoon.