Box Score SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Playing his final home game, Skidmore senior second baseman Erik Watkins went 3-4 with three RBI and several defensive gems in a 10-8 win over Middlebury College, Tuesday evening at Castle Diamond.
 
The Thoroughbreds (10-21) were able clear their bench in the non-league win.  The Panthers (4-21) struggled defensively with five errors.
 
Skidmore Freshman Mat Marino extended his hitting streak to 13 games, going 3-5 with a triple and two runs scored.  Watkins had five putouts and five assists, including a behind-the-back assist to end a Panther rally,  Jeff Spindel was 3-5  with an RBI, and Stephen Gilbert had a two-run double.
 
Alex Kelly, Jason Lock, and Garrett Werner had two hits each for the Panthers, who had nine singles for the game.
 
Middlebury got off to a quick start with five runs in the first inning on four singles, an error, and a hit batter.  Joe MacDonald had he key hit with a two-run single.
 
Skidmore responded with an unearned run in its half of the first when Misha Holzman reached on a throwing error after a dropped third strike and scored on an Erik Watkins single.
 
The Thoroughbreds took a 6-5 lead with five-run third inning. Skidmore sent 11 batters to the plate, and scoring five runs on four hits, one error and three walks. Watkins, Spindel, and Daniel Dasgupta all had RBI singles, while Josh Brown had a sacrifice fly.
 
Skidmore made it 7-5 in the sixth when Marino led off with a triple off the right field fence and scored on a Watkins sac fly. The Thoroughbreds scored an unearned run in the seventh and then tacked on three in the eighth for a 10-5 lead.  Gilbert's two-run double provided the final two runs.
 
The Panthers pieced together three runs in the ninth on three walks, two hits, and a hit batter, but Thoroughbred catcher Daniel Dasgupta came out from behind the plate to get the final two outs and his fourth save of the season.
 
Justin Willig got the win in relief. He tossed two scoreless innings with two hits, no walks and two strikeouts.  Middlebury starter Eddie DeArias took the loss, lasting only 2 1/3, allowing six runs (two earned) on five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts.
 
Skidmore will close out the season with four road games at Clarkson on Saturday and Sunday.