SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—Skidmore College baseball senior Matt Barra had a season-high four RBI to lead the Thoroughbreds to their first Liberty League win of the season in an 8-5 victory over Vassar, Wednesday at Castle Diamond.  The Brewers took the first game of the doubleheader, 8-6.

Skidmore goes to 7-13 overall and 1-9 in the league, while Vassar moves to 4-12 overall and 3-11 in conference play.

In the first game, Vassar got on the board in the top of the first, as Denis Shanagher singled and later scored on a Nick Johnson groundout.

After being held scoreless in the first two innings, Skidmore pulled in front with four runs in the third. Mike LaVita doubled down the left field line to bring home Dan Miller and Mat Marino and scored in the Thoroughbreds next at bat on a double by Jeb Clarke. Matt Barra produced the final run of the inning with an RBI single to make it 4-1.

The Brewers wasted no time getting back in the game, scoring three runs in the top of the fourth. Johnson blasted a home run to left-center and Dakota Sagnelli had an RBI single, later scoring on a wild pitch.

Vassar regained its lead in the fifth, tacking on three more runs with a two-out rally. After Brooks English and Johnson kept the inning alive with back-to-back singles, Bobby Kinne plated English with a single. Cory Wuenschell made it 7-4 in the next at bat with with a two-run single. Sagnelli extended the Vassar lead to 8-4 with a solo shot in the top of the sixth.

Skidmore cut its deficit to 8-5 in the bottom half of the inning and it threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Steven Gilbert and Marino drew back-to-back walks and LaVita knocked in Gilbert with a sacrifice fly to make it 8-6. However, Brewers closer Denis Shanagher managed to seal the win with, forcing a groundout in the Thoroughbreds final at bat.

Jeb Clarke finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, Matt Barra went 2-for-3 with an RBI and LaVita contributed three RBI. Senior Nick Petrella took the loss on the mound.

Johnson led the Vassar offense, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Kinne was 3-for-4 with a stolen base and Sagnelli went 2-or-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Adam Erkis picked up his first win of the season on the mound, allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out six over six innings.

In game two, the Brewers took a 3-0 lead behind an RBI single and a two-run double from Kinne, but Skidmore closed the gap in the third. Shankar Mani and Kevin Cross drew back-to-back walks to start the inning and after LaVita reached on a fielder's choice, Barra delivered a two-run single.

The Thoroughbreds built on the momentum in the bottom of the fourth, breaking the game open with six runs. Chris Lorenz and Nick Barra both singled and Mani brought home Lorenz with a perfectly laid bunt. After LaVita drew a bases-loaded walk to give Skidmore its first lead, the Thoroughbreds added two more runs on a throwing error. Matt Barra capped the charge with a two-run single up the middle.

Vassar would not go away easily, as the Brewers scored two runs in the top of the fifth to trim the Thoroughbreds lead to 8-5. Kinne added to his strong day at the plate with an RBI single and Wuenschell drove in a run with a double to the gap in left-center, chasing Skidmore starter Andrew Aikins from the game. Thoroughbreds senior pitcher Andrew Bannon put an end to the run, retiring the Brewers next two batters.

Vassar would not pull any closer, as Bannon allowed just one hit over the final two innings for his first save of the season. Aikins earned his first career win, surrendering five earned runs on 10 hits, while strikeout out two and walking two.

Barra was Skidmore's only player to record a multiple-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 with four RBI.

Kinne went 3-for-4 with four RBI, while Johnson was a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles and three runs scored. Trent Berg was tagged with the loss on the mound.

Skidmore hosts a four-game series against RIT April 18-19. First pitch for both days is scheduled for 12 p.m.