POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team extended their winning streak to four games on Wednesday with a thrilling 11-inning 12-9 win at Vassar College. Jordan Rios, who went 3-for-6 with three RBI, led the offensive attack, and Justin Harvey connected for his first and only hit of the day in the top of the 11th, a bases-clearing double to propel the Hawks to victory. 
 
The visitors wasted no time getting going in the first inning, opening things up with one out. After Nick Harvey was walked on five pitches, Joe Patane hit a single into right field, which moved Harvey into scoring position. Mike Boccarossa, next up, hit a single into shallow center field to load the bases. Ryan Mackle flew out, but Harvey tagged and scored, making the count 1-0 SUNY New Paltz. Dean Stalzer then doubled into left field, bringing Patane around to score. With two on, Rios hit a sharp two-run single into right centerfield, with Stalzer and Boccarossa crossing home plate to give the Hawks a 4-0 lead.
 
James Trink was great through two innings, striking out four and giving up no runs as the Hawks went into the third inning maintaining their four-run lead. Scott Wagner took over in the third, and after striking out Reid Lapekas, gave up a triple to Andrew Kanellis and a single into left field to Ezra Caspi. Caspi's RBI single, driving in Kanellis, put the Brewers on the board, cutting the SUNY New Paltz lead to 4-1. The Hawks ended the threat when Wagner struck out Ty Murray, and Justin Harvey threw out Caspi at second base for an impressive double play. 
 
In the fourth inning though, the Brewers opened things up and took a one-run lead. 
 
With one out, Alex Warren singled up the middle to Wagner, and promptly stole second base to get himself in scoring position. The next batter, Jaden Millstein, walked on a 3-1 count. After both runners stole second and third, Adam Talwalkar hit a sacrifice fly into right field, making the score 4-2. Following a wild pitch that advanced Millstein to third base, Ricardo Reyna reached on an error, cutting the Hawk lead to just one. Lapekas followed up that at-bat with a single down the left field line and Kanellis, who was 3-for-5 in the game with two triples, one double and two RBI, tripled into right field, and the Brewers took the lead in the blink of an eye, 5-4 going into the fifth inning. 
 
Vassar added to their advantage in the bottom of the fifth when Millstein hit an RBI double and Talwalkar reached on an error by Patane that brought home Millstein and Murray. Wagner got Lapekas to fly out as the Hawks went into the sixth inning down 7-4, eventually trailing 9-4 in the seventh. 
 
The Hawks responded with an explosive inning, with Mackle hitting an RBI double and Rios hitting a bases loaded single to cut the home lead to two at 9-7. After Justin Harvey flew out, Mackle scored on a wild pitch with Leo Alvarez at the plate to make the score 9-8. Rios stole second and advanced to third base on an error by Grathwohl, allowing Stalzer to score and to tie the contest at nine.
Although both teams had opportunities to take the lead in the ninth, both stranded runners, and SUNY New Paltz headed into extra innings for the second time in just over a week
 
After the Hawks went down in order in the 10th, Brandon Bernard came on to replace Schuch. Bernard gave up a double to Caspi, but was able to get Grathwohl to fly out to end the inning and send the contest to the 11th. 
 
Patane walked to lead the frame off, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Boccarossa reached on an error, putting runners on first and second for SUNY New Paltz with nobody out. Joe Sabo, however, struck out Mackle and Stalzer, bringing up Rios. Rios promptly singled to center field, loading the bases for Justin Harvey. 
 
The junior then came up with a major hit in the clutch, hitting a bases-clearing double to right-center field, propelling the Hawks in front by a score of 12-9. 
 
"Harvey has been swinging it well and putting it together," said SUNY New Paltz assistant coach Brandon Rivera. "His batting practice rounds in pregame were super solid and he wants to be in the big spot." 
 
With runners at second and third with only one out in the bottom of the 11th, Bernard struck out Reyna on a 1-2 count and got Lapekas to fly out to center field, and picked up his first win of the season. Rivera was very complimentary of the pitching staff's performance. 
 
"Wagner came in and did his job after Trink's start," he said. "Olson keeping the game at a minimum, Schuch having a shutdown inning and Bernard picking up his first career win in shutdown fashion through 11 innings was great. Today was a big day for the pitchers who haven't thrown much this year and they capitalized on their opportunities." 
 
The thrilling 11-inning victory is the second extra inning win in eight days for SUNY New Paltz. On April 12, they defeated Ramapo College, also in 11 innings, when Jordan Rios hit a solo home run. 
 
Next up for the 11-13 Hawks is a three-game weekend series at 8-20 SUNY Oneonta, who is 2-10 in the SUNYAC. Game one is Friday at 3 p.m. and the Saturday double-header is at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.  
 
"We will use this positive momentum and energy moving into this weekend full force," said Rivera.  

********************
To stay up to date with everything #NPHawks be sure to follow us on Twitter at @nphawks, Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our Youtube channel, New Paltz Hawks.