Box Score

SAUGERTIES, N.Y. - Junior shortstop/pitcher Andrew DiNardo (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay-East Fishkill) blasted two home runs and capped the evening off with a save as the State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team defeated SUNY Plattsburgh 5-3 to open up a three-game State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) series at Cantine Field on Saturday night.

DiNardo crushed a 3-1 pitch over the left field fence in the bottom of the first inning and followed up with another left field long ball in the bottom of the seventh on a 1-2 count for his first career round trippers. The junior took the mound in the top of the ninth and despite giving up a leadoff double, DiNardo buckled down and earned his first save of his career.

The junior finished the contest 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. Junior catcher Tyler Bell (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) went 3-for-3 with two RBI while freshman designated hitter Ryan Bowser (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) collected a pair of hits. New Paltz ripped 13 hits against the Cardinals, including four doubles.

With the win, the Hawks move to 5-17 overall and 2-9 in the SUNYAC. Plattsburgh falls to 10-15, 5-8 SUNYAC as these two teams will conclude the series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. New Paltz will honor its nine senior members for Senior Day in between the contests.

Sophomore starter Brett Wisner (Forest Hills, N.Y./Forest Hills) earned his first win of the year as the lefty threw five frames, scattering four hits and striking out two. Four players threw in middle relief as sophomore Luke Schuessler (Highland Mills, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury), freshman Jordan Deitch (Commack, N.Y./Commack), senior Tyler Mitts (Nanuet, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep) and freshman Jake Williams (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) all appeared out of the bullpen before DiNardo took the hill in the ninth.

DiNardo gave the Hawks an early 1-0 in the bottom of the first with his first homer. Sophomore first baseman Anthony Diana (North Amawalk, N.Y./Somers) followed with a double to left field but New Paltz was held scoreless for the remainder of the frame.

New Paltz broke open the game in the bottom of the third when DiNardo crushed a 2-2 pitch to left field for a double. With two outs, senior third baseman Mike Sparacino (Commack, N.Y./Commack) drove in DiNardo with a single to right and Bell followed with a base knock to right to score Sparacino and give the Hawks a 3-0 lead.

But the Cardinals got within one run with two outs in the top of the fourth with an RBI triple and run-scoring single to cut into the New Paltz lead, 3-2. The Hawks increased their advantage to 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Bell brought home Williams on a flare single to left center.

Plattsburgh cracked back-to-back doubles in the seventh to get within 4-3 but Mitts appeared out of the pen and struck out the final two batters to earn the hold for the Hawks.

DiNardo led off the seventh with his second blast of the night to hand the Hawks a 5-3 edge. With two outs, Bell doubled to right field but was left stranded to end the frame.

In the top of the ninth, DiNardo surrendered a leadoff double down the left field line but settled down and earned two quick outs. After a four-pitch walk to put two runners on, DiNardo struck out the final Plattsburgh batter to end the contest.

For the Cardinals, left-hander Scott Orr was tagged with the loss, going six innings and striking out three. Plattsburgh recorded eight hits for the night, with all eight coming from a different player.