Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CANTON, N.Y. - The Skidmore College baseball team split a pair of Liberty League games with St. Lawrence University, Saturday afternoon in Canton, N.Y.  The Saints captured the first game 4-3 before Skidmore won the second 8-5.
With the split, Skidmore moves to 3-3 in conference play and 6-8 overall, while St. Lawrence is now 3-1 in the Liberty League standings and 8-4 overall.

The Thoroughbreds got things going early in the opening game taking a 3-0 first inning lead.  Leejay Pollacchi drew a leadoff walk for Skidmore and quickly scored as Geoff Green, Erik Watkins and Alex Barber followed with consecutive singles.  Jeff Spindel laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position and the next batter, Matty Tatkow got the job done, plating Watkins with a sacrifice fly before the Saints could get out of the inning.

St. Lawrence countered in the home half of the first, scoring three runs of its own to even the score at 3 runs apiece. 

The Thoroughbreds loaded the bases in the second inning after three consecutive singles from Jeb Clarke, Jeremy Selecky and Pollacchi, but St. Lawrence pitcher Joe Riley got Green to pop out into foul territory and then recorded successive strikeouts to escape the inning without allowing a run.

Neither team gave an inch as both displayed strong pitching and solid defense, but St. Lawrence broke the tie in the fifth inning as Khifer O'Connor slapped a single to center field scoring Mark Syron who had doubled earlier in the inning to give the Saints a 4-3 lead.

Skidmore looked to even the score in the sixth when Mike Pannozzi doubled to deep center field, but that was as far as he would get after being forced at third base on the sacrifice bunt attempt.  The Saints worked out of trouble and retired the side in the 7th to hold on for the 4-3 win.

Nick Petrella (2-1) takes the loss for Skidmore despite pitching well.  The sophomore pitcher allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits in six innings while striking out five.  Riley, now 4-0 gets the complete-game win after giving up three earned runs on 11 hits.

Green and Watkins were each 2-4 with a run scored, with Watkins recording an RBI.  Pollacchi was 1-2 with a pair of walks, one run scored and a stolen base.

Syron went 2-3 in the opening game with two runs scored, while Jeff Kott managed two hits in three plate appearances with an RBI and one run scored.

Skidmore exploded in the nightcap, smashing 15 hits en route to an 8-5 win.

Watkins had a strong game at the dish, going 4-5 with an RBI and three runs scored.  Barber was 3-5 with three RBI and one run scored while Spindel and Pollacchi each went 2-5 with Spindel tallying two RBI.

Max Martins earns the win, bringing his season record to 2-2 after giving up five runs (four earned) on only three hits in 6.2 innings of work.  Isaac Forman gets the save after working two innings of relief.

Skidmore was first to strike again as Pollacchi connected for a leadoff single and promptly stole second base.  After advancing to third on a fly out, Pollacchi scored when Barber singled to right field to give the Thoroughbreds an early 1-0 lead.

St. Lawrence answered in the bottom of the first with a run of its own as O'Connor's RBI double plated Syron to level the score at 1-1.

After a scoreless second, Skidmore exploded with four runs in the third inning to hold a 5-1 advantage.  Selecky started the inning off with a single and advanced to second on a Pollacchi single to left field.  Green then reached base on a fielder's choice as Pollacchi was erased at second base.  The next batter, Watkins, singled home Selecky and advanced to second on an error by the Saint right fielder.  Barber then singled home two runs with a single up the middle and later scored as Tatkow brought him home with an RBI double.

The Saints got one run back in the bottom of the third when a Skidmore error allowed Syron to cross home plate making it 5-2.

In the fifth inning, Watkins and Spindel singled and moved into scoring position on a St. Lawrence error.  Watkins would eventually come around to score on a wild pitch to give the Thoroughbreds a four-run cushion.

St. Lawrence scored again in the bottom of the sixth, but Skidmore extended its lead in the seventh when Spindel singled with the bases loaded plated Watkins and Green extending the lead to 8-3.

The Saints countered with two runs in the seventh, but that was all they would get as Skidmore's bullpen held St. Lawrence hitless in the final two innings to preserve the win.

The Thoroughbreds are set for another doubleheader with St. Lawrence Sunday afternoon starting at 12 p.m.