Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team's (12-12) hitting finally caught up to its pitching on Thursday afternoon in a non-conference single game against cross-river rival Vassar College (10-11), topping the host Brewers by a 10-1 final at Prentiss Field.

As a team, the Hawks pounded out 16 hits and produced 10 runs—nine of which were earned. Vassar had opportunities to push runners across but was unable to convert, leaving 11 stranded.

Junior designated hitter Jake Cameron (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) put New Paltz on the board in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly, but Vassar answered in the home half of the inning, as Brett Zaziski drove in a run with a double down the left-field line.

Junior right fielder Mike Sherlock (Liverpool, N.Y.) broke the 1-all tie when he drove in sophomore catcher Matt Kaldon (Montgomery, N.Y.) on a fielder's choice in the top of the second, and the Hawks went on to score two more runs in that frame to go up, 4-1. A two-run double by Cameron in the sixth bolstered a four-run inning, and two more came across for the visitors in the seventh to round out the final tally.

Drawing the start on the mound for New Paltz, junior pitcher John Schmidt (East Islip, N.Y.) lasted six innings, giving up one run on four hits and five walks while striking out three. As a result of his standout performance, he was credited with the victory. Junior pitcher Timmy Chelius (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) and freshman pitchers Mike Pastorino (Stormville, N.Y.) and Dylan Babcock (Vails Gate, N.Y.) combined for three scoreless innings in relief duty, allowing just two hits. Vassar's Max Frankel was tagged with the loss, surrendering four runs on eight hits in four frames of work.

A number of individuals stepped up offensively for the Hawks. Sophomore center fielder/right fielder Thomas Pinnola (North Babylon, N.Y.) went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI, while sophomore third baseman Matt Prescia (Oakdale, N.Y.) batted 3-for-3 with one run scored. Kaldon (2-for-4) and freshman left fielder Jimmy Briggs (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) (2-for-5) also had multi-hit outings, while Cameron tied Pinnola for the game-high in RBI with three, batting 1-for-3. Zaziski and Scott Allen energized the Brewer attack by going 2-for-2 and 2-for-4, respectively.

New Paltz returns to the diamond this weekend, playing its first true home-opening series of 2011 with a three-game State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) set against SUNY Oswego. A doubleheader will occur on Saturday, April 16, at noon with a nine-inning contest in game one followed by a seven-inning tilt in the nightcap. On Sunday, April 17, the Hawks will do battle with the Lakers in a single nine-inning game at noon.