Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – For the first time since April 1, 1995, the State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team (20-15, 9-8 SUNYAC) topped No. 11 SUNY Cortland (29-7, 15-2 SUNYAC), beating the Red Dragons, 3-2, in game two of a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Loren Campbell Memorial Field. Cortland took game one, 5-1.

The first game lasted nine innings in duration, while game two was scheduled for seven innings.

New Paltz last won against Cortland by an 8-7 final on April 1, 1995, as the Hawks took the front end of a conference doubleheader.

Beyond its sentimental value, the victory kept the Hawks alive in the SUNYAC Tournament race. If SUNY Plattsburgh loses tomorrow against The College at Brockport, or if the Hawks beat Cortland tomorrow, New Paltz will earn the fourth and final spot in the conference tournament. A Plattsburgh win coupled with a New Paltz loss will give the two teams matching 9-9 conference records, and the Cardinals hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Sophomore pitcher Chris Chismar (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) turned in another memorable performance on the mound, working seven innings in the game-two victory. He gave up two runs off four hits and three walks to complement his eight strikeouts. Chismar took a one-hit bid into the sixth.

An error by the Cortland third baseman in the top of the first of the nightcap allowed the frame to stay alive longer than expected, as the Hawks plated two unearned runs. Sophomore third baseman Matt Prescia (Oakdale, N.Y.) singled to drive in junior shortstop Paul Merola (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y.) for the first run of the game, and junior second baseman Chris Paulicelli (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) scored on a double-steal attempt to put the Hawks on top, 2-0.

Paulicelli contributed to another run in the fifth, as he tripled to push across Merola. Merola drew a two-out walk to get aboard in the previous at-bat.

Cortland came back in the sixth, however, as John Adornetto kicked off the inning with a homer, and Zack Graczyk doubled before advancing to third on a wild pitch. After Chismar fanned another batter, Dan Kaplan drew the Red Dragons within one with a sacrifice fly to center. Chismar gave up a single to Justin Fredenburg, but freshman catcher David Lostaglio (Milton, N.Y.) ended the inning after catching Matt Wild, who pinch ran for Fredenburg, stealing.

Despite getting runners on second and third with no outs in the home half of the sixth, the Hawks were unable to add insurance runs. Cortland retired the next three batters in order to extinguish a solid opportunity for New Paltz to score. Chismar was trotted back out to throw in the seventh, and the Red Dragons went down in order, as Chismar forced a ground out and two fly outs to end the game.

Cortland's Travis Ratliff was tagged with the loss, as he threw six innings, yielding three runs—one of which was earned—off five hits and two walks. He also struck out a game-high 11 batters.

On the attack for New Paltz, Paulicelli went 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI, while Prescia was 2-for-3 with an RBI. For the Red Dragons, Adornetto ignited the offense with a 2-for-2 performance that included a run scored and an RBI.

A four-run sixth for Cortland was the difference in game one. New Paltz had its chances to score, but the Hawks left 12 runners on base.

Two straight walks in the second set up a Bryan Mistretta RBI single to put the Red Dragons on the board, and Paulicelli drove in sophomore catcher Matt Kaldon (Montgomery, N.Y.) from second base in the fourth to level the tally.

Nick Thode, Wild, Mistretta and Matt June all drove in runs in the fourth, which ultimately did in the Hawks.

Freshman pitcher Andrew Grann (Oceanside, N.Y.) was shouldered with the loss in game one, going 5 1/3 innings while permitting five runs off five hits and six walks while striking out seven. Freshman pitcher James McKenna (Bohemia, N.Y.) hurled the final 3 2/3 frames for the Hawks, yielding just three hits and two walks while striking out four.

For Cortland, Aaron Schuldt was credited with the victory, giving up just one run off six hits and two walks in six innings of duty. Brendan Hourihan took over and tossed the final three frames, holding New Paltz scoreless. Hourihan gained the save, his second of the year.

Kaldon paced the Hawk bats in the front end of the doubleheader with a 3-for-4 outing that included one run scored, while Paulicelli (2-for-3, one RBI) and Merola (2-for-4) also fared well at the plate. Mistretta led Cortland by going 3-for-4 with two RBI, while June went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The two teams will complete the series tomorrow afternoon at noon at Loren Campbell Memorial Field.