ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - The Bard College baseball team topped Bates College, 13-11, Thursday afternoon in a non-league matchup.

With the win, the Raptors improved 12-13 overall and set their single-season wins mark along the way. The previous record had stood since 2015. The Bobcats of Bates College meanwhile, fell to 10-12.

The Raptors started the game hot, ripping off four runs in the first inning. An RBI single from David Schlosser and an RBI double from Chris Blake put the Raptors up 3-0, before Michael Uhle got Blake home a few batters later on a groundout.

The Bobcats responded quickly however, tallying four runs of their own in the second on the exact same plays Bard had just scored on.

Pat Beaton (West Newbury, MA) started it with an RBI single, followed by an RBI double from Rob Matson (West Hartford, CT) and Jon Lindgren (Plainville, CT) scored a run on a groundout to shortstop to tie the game at 4-4. 

The game didn't stay tied for long though, as Bard added another four runs in the bottom of the third. A two-RBI single from Ryan Chipman and a two-RBI double from Julian Gonzalez gave the Raptors some breathing room.

Just a couple innings later, that lead got even more comfortable as Bard scored five more runs, pushing the score to 13-4. Chipman tripled in two runs, while Schlosser, Blake and Jordan Myers each added an RBI.

As for Bard's pitching, besides the four-run outburst in the second, the arms held Bates at bay. Steve Marotta, who picked up the win, Caleb LaRosa, Zach Hayes and Luke Klatke, held the Bobcats to no runs on just three hits from the third to eight innings.

It looked like the Raptors were about to soar to an easy win.

And then the ninth inning came.

Bates' offense exploded in the inning, as the guests poured in seven runs on six hits and nearly stole the game. Peter Oberg finally stopped the bleeding and earned the save for Bard, when he induced a two-out ground ball to first base with the bases loaded.

While the ending turned out to be more interesting than expected, the Raptors did secure the victory. Chipman powered Bard with a single, a triple, two runs and four RBIs in the effort. Blake finished with three RBIs, while Schlosser and Gonzalez each tallied two RBIs. 

Casey Barr (Chicago, IL) picked up the loss for Bates and eight different players recorded an RBI for the visitors. 

Up next for the Raptors is a return to Liberty League action, as the team hosts the University of Rochester this weekend in a crucial four-game series. Game One is set to begin at noon on April 21st and you can follow it right here.