Plattsburgh, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz rallied from three runs down to tie the score Friday against hosting Plattsburgh State, but the Cardinals sealed a 7-5 win thanks to a three-run seventh that ultimately decided the game.
 
Billy Moeller earned the start for the Hawks (7-16 overall, 0-10 SUNYAC) in the no-decision and settled in after giving up three in the top of the first, throwing four innings, giving up three hits, three walks and three earned runs with four strikeouts.
 
SUNY New Paltz came back to tie the game at 3-3 in the fifth. Alex Oulette got the inning going with a one-out single to left. Michael Boccarossa reached after getting hit by a pitch and Justin Ortiz, getting his first action of the season, came through with an RBI single to left to score Oulette. Tommy Kreider followed up with an RBI double down the left field line with Christopher Sais capping the inning with an RBI single to plate Oritz.
 
Plattsburgh took the lead with a run in the bottom half with the Hawks answering in the sixth, as Justin Harvey led off with a single to center. Oulette dropped a sacrifice bunt to move Harvey over with Boccarossa getting him to third on a flyout, before Ortiz came through with an RBI base hit to knot the game at 4-4.  
Connor Olson came in to pitch the seventh and struggled finding his location. The Cardinals reached on a hit by pitch to lead-off with a fielder's choice earning SUNY New Paltz its first out of the inning. Plattsburgh answered with a walk and an RBI single before a wild pitch advanced runners into scoring position for Connor Gonzalski who hit a two-RBI single to bring both runners home and give his team a 7-4 advantage. James McGovern came in to relieve Olson and produced the last two outs to get out of the seventh.
 
SUNY New Paltz earned one back in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Sais that scored Ortiz who led off with a walk, but the Hawks offense stalled there as the game ended on a flyout to solidify the 7-5 outcome.
 
Ortiz was the catalyst for SUNY New Paltz, hitting 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, two walks and a stolen base. Sais followed, going 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Harvey also finished 2-for-4 with a run.
 
The Hawks complete their three-game series against the Cardinals Saturday with a doubleheader back at Chip Cummings Field starting at noon.

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