ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - The Bard College baseball team lost a pair of games Saturday afternoon, falling to Castleton University, 13-4 and 13-7, in a non-conference doubleheader.
With the losses, the Raptors are now 2-3 on the year, while the Spartans improved to 4-4.
After Castleton scored one run in the top of the first to open game one, Bard responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, as
Robert Arciola scored from third base on a double steal and
Ryan Chipman slapped an RBI single.
The Raptors lead was short-lived however, as the guests scored twice in the second to regain the lead, 3-2. From there, Castleton turned it on offensively, scoring the next nine runs to blow the game wide open, 12-2, heading into the bottom of the fifth.
A two-run single from
Chris Blake continued his hot start to the season, as Bard chipped into the deficit a bit, but that was all the hosts got the rest of the way.
Evan Richardson collected the loss for the Raptors. The senior managed just three innings and allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits. He also walked five and collected five strikeouts.
Garrett Moran (Killingworth, CT) earned the win for Castleton after he tossed five innings and fanned six. He allowed four runs on eight hits in the effort.
Blake, Chipman and
Jordan Myers each finished with two hits apiece in the opening game. Meanwhile, Davis Mikell (Williston, VT) went 5-for-5 with two RBIs and four runs for the Spartans.
In game two, Castleton's bats remained hot, as the visitors scored three runs in the first two innings. The Raptors answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the second, as singles from
Alex Luscher and Myers tied the contest.
Unfortunately for Bard, just like in game one, game two saw the guests blow the contest open in the third and fourth innings, as they scored five unanswered runs to take an 8-3 lead.
After a pair of Bard runs cut the deficit to 8-5 in the bottom of the fourth, the Spartans added three more in the sixth. The Raptors again answered with two runs in the bottom half of the sixth, but that was as close as they got.
Kyle Zigner received the loss for Bard, after he allowed eight runs, six hits and six walks in four innings of work. Charlie Stapleford (Vergennes, VT) earned the win for Castleton. He threw five innings, allowed five runs (three earned) and totaled five strikeouts.
Myers continued his solid day, as he added another pair of hits and two RBIs.
Gunnar Schichtl collected three hits and an RBI, while
Julian Gonzalez walked twice and scored three runs.
Meanwhile, Davis Mikell (Williston, VT) continued to hammer the Raptors in game two. He finished with two hits, two RBIs, three walks and four runs scored.
Up next for Bard is the team's spring break trip to Florida, which will begin on March 16th. The Raptors will take on Purchase College to kick off the trip and first pitch is set for 9:30 a.m.
