New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz closed its three-game series against SUNY Brockport Saturday morning at 8:45 a.m. trying to beat the hail and rain.
 
The two teams braved inclement weather to play five innings of baseball with the Hawks taking a 10-5 lead into the fifth but struggles on the mound allowed the Golden Eagles to take advantage as they scored six in the top of the inning to ultimately win, 11-10.
 
Nick Harvey made his season debut after battling a back injury and the senior tossed 2.2 innings, giving up four hits and just two earned runs. He narrowly got out of the first unscathed after allowing a lead-off single and a two-out bases loaded jam following an error at short and a walk, but another error on a bunt down the first base line on an errant throw by Adam Webber allowed two runs to score, giving Brockport a 2-0 lead. Harvey forced a groundout to end the inning.
 
SUNY New Paltz gave him run support though in the bottom half thanks to a lead-off walk by Matt Sarni, who then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch all in the following at-bat. Dillon Ristano then ripped a ball to the center field fence for a two-RBI double scoring both Sarni and Tommy Kreider who walked to get on in the previous at-bat to tie the game at 2-2. Ristano advanced to third on a wild pitch and gave the Hawks the lead, coming home on a balk.
 
 
SUNY New Paltz added on in the bottom of the second with Mike Ascanio leading off with a single to right. He got into scoring position on another balk and got to third on a single through the left side by Chris Thorne a batter later. Kreider brought them both home on a hit to shallow left and Ristano came through once more with another hard-hit ball to deep right field to score Kreider, bringing the lead to 7-2 entering the third.
 
The Golden Eagles got within two after the top of the fourth, platting two runs in the third and one the fourth, but the Hawks responded in the bottom of the inning. Thorne started off with a walk before Sarni knocked a base hit to right, advancing Thorne into scoring position. Kreider loaded the bases after beating out a throw from third, but the attempt went wide and allowed Kreider to advance, scoring both Sarni and Thorne. Kreider then helped the lead to 10-5 after scoring on a wild pitch.  
The game unraveled in the fifth for the Hawks as they struggled finding the strike zone, walking four of the first five batters. Connor Olson took over for James McGovern with one out and the bases loaded, but another walk helped a run in before facing the heart of the Golden Eagles lineup who delivered with a pair of two RBI doubles that tied the game at 10. Olson forced a second out on a pop up before allowing his second double and then an RBI single that pushed the score, 11-10. Eventually, Xavier Zykoff came in to get the final out on a pop up to hold the damage there.
 
Pierson McGinnis had a one-out pinch-hit single that gave SUNY New Paltz life with the rain coming down severally over Loren Campbell Field. Thorne struck out in the next at-bat, limiting the Hawks to one more out in the inning. McGinnis tried stealing second to get into scoring position but was thrown out to end the game as the umpires and coaches came together to call the game with weather conditions reaching unplayable.
 
Ristano was the catalyst offensively, going 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI. Kreider followed going 2-or-2 with three runs, two RBI and. Walk. Sarni took advantage of the start and went 1-for-2 with two runs and a walk, while Christopher Sais went 1-for-2 with an RBI and walk.
 
The Hawks dropped to 5-9 overall and 0-3 in the SUNYAC with the loss. They are back in action Wednesday for a single game against Centenary before going back on the road for a three-game series against SUNY Cortland starting Friday at 3 p.m.

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