Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 New Paltz, NY – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team bounced back in the second game of its doubleheader against Fredonia State with a 6-3 win, after losing a nail-biter in the opener 9-8.
 
GAME 1
The Hawks struggled early on in first game both offensively and defensively, trailing 7-1 after five innings. However, the bats woke up in the sixth with a two-run home run off the bat of senior first baseman Chris Moran. The shot over the left field fence from the reigning SUNYAC Athlete of the Week marked his fourth home run in the last four SUNYAC games. Senior catcher Dwayne Page followed up the blast with a triple to center field to keep the two-out rally alive. One batter later, senior center fielder Nick DePietro drove a single back up the middle to center field to bring home Page and cut the lead to 7-4.
 
The momentum had shifted in favor of SUNY New Paltz, but a sloppy eighth inning led to two more runs for the Blue Devils. Trailing by five runs, head coach Arlan Freeman knew his team could pull off the comeback and was pumping up his team from the dugout letting them know they could do it.
 
"I pulled them up and I told them that they needed to wake up," said Freeman. "I said that we weren't playing with intensity or with a sense of urgency."
 
The team responded in a big way scoring three runs. Moran led off the bottom of the eighth with a walk and DePietro then reached on a single, but after senior right fielder Brian Brenton grounded out the Hawks were down to their final out of the inning.
 
Freeman turned to junior first baseman Justin Ganca to pinch hit for SUNY New Paltz. Ganca stepped to the plate for the first time all season, coming off an ACL tear nine months prior. Despite the excitement of returning to the field, Ganca remained calm at the plate and after fighting off multiple pitches, he drew a walk. Sophomore left fielder Julian Francisco was up next with the bases loaded and two outs needing a big hit for the Hawks. Francisco delivered a hard hit ball that cleared the outstretched arm of the left fielder. The double brought home three runs for SUNY New Paltz and cut the lead to a two-run game.
 
After junior right-handed pitcher Ryan Votypka kept the score at 9-7 in the top of the ninth, senior third baseman Jake Williams led off the bottom of the ninth with a double. Once again the Blue Devils pitching staff wanted nothing to do with Moran and walked him for the third time that game. Page stepped up to the plate looking for a sacrifice bunt, but ended up laying down a near perfect bunt and beat out the throw to first to load the bases with nobody out. After a strikeout and a sacrifice fly, SUNY New Paltz was down to its last out with the tying run on second base. Unfortunately, pinch hitter Zach Warenius was unable to deliever and the Hawks dropped a heart breaker 9-8.
 
Moran finished two-for-three on the day with two RBIs, three runs scored, and three walks. Page was also hot at the plate going four-for-five with a run scored while DePietro and Francisco ended two-for-four with one and three RBIs, respectively.
 
"We did some really good things, but we just weren't playing consistent baseball," said Freeman.
 
GAME 2
Junior right-handed pitcher Justin Stybel got off to a slow start on the mound and gave up two runs in the first. However, the offense answered right back thanks to some aggressive base running. Senior second baseman Anthony Pantano walked to lead off the inning and immediately stole second to get in scoring position. After junior shortstop Ryan Frost drew a walk as well, Pantano and Frost both stole a base to advance to second and third with nobody out. A ground ball to first base and a strikeout left SUNY New Paltz with two outs and no runs, but once again the Hawks found a way to score. A wild pitch scored Pantano, but then Page crushed a ball to left field and cleared the fence for a two-run home run to take a 3-2 lead.
 
Fredonia tied the game in the top of the third, but SUNY New Paltz answered back for the second time in the game with three runs of their own. Williams led off with a double, but back-to-back pop ups to shortstop put two outs on the board. DePietro stepped to the plate and laid down an incredible bunt that dribbled along the third base line for a single and advanced Williams to third. Brenton delivered a clutch single to score Williams and keep the inning alive. The next play Brenton took a healthy lead and stole second base, but on the throw DePietro took off for home and beat the throw by the shortstop. Warenius concluded the rally with a shot down the left field line to score Brenton and take the lead to 6-3.
 
Stybel found his rhythm on the mound and rolled through the next three innings only allowing three hits. The Bellmore, NY native handed the ball off to the bullpen in the top of the seventh, concluding his day with three earned runs, six hits, and five strikeouts.
 
"I felt great," said Stybel. "My game plan was just to throw strikes and get ahead and I did just that with my fastball."
 
After the leadoff batter reached base, Freeman turned to senior right-handed pitcher Jeff Sarra to get the save. Sarra forced a ground ball up the middle to the first batter he faced, which looked like was going to get through the infield for a single. However, Pantano made a diving play to stop the ball and flipped it to Williams who made a great stretch at second base to record the first out of the inning. Sarra's breaking ball forced another ground ball, but this time it was right to Williams at short and the Hawks turned the double play to end the game.
 
"Our defense was huge today," said Stybel. "They came up with some double plays and some great diving plays and I think without them we don't win that game."
 
Page's two-run home run highlighted the offensive performance from SUNY New Paltz, but the Hawks aggressive base running played a key role as they stole six total bases in the game, Pantano recording three of them. Brenton also continued his hot hitting at the plate going two-for-three with an RBI and a run scored.
 
"I'm proud of the guys for bouncing back after the tough loss," said Freeman. "To lose 9-8 with bases loaded in the ninth and be able to salvage a split with a team that's contending for SUNYAC playoffs is impressive. We had some big swings, Moran and Page hit a home run, we manufactured some runs, and we did some really good things, but we also didn't play consistent baseball and that's why we came out with the split."
 
SUNY New Paltz gets back on the field Saturday and Sunday against SUNY Cortland. The doubleheader will be played Saturday at 12 p.m. with the final game of the series starting Sunday at 11 a.m.