Cortland, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz completed its three-game series against Cortland, dropping a tight doubleheader slate Saturday, 9-7 and 5-2, respectively, before falling in a single game Sunday, 6-2.
 
Billy Moeller earned the game one start for the Hawks and tossed four innings, giving up seven hits and three earned runs with one walk and three strikeouts. SUNY New Paltz gave Moeller a 1-0 lead to work with entering the bottom of the first as Dillon Ristano extended his hitting streak to eight games after knocking an RBI single to plate Matt Sarni.
 
SUNY New Paltz then took a 2-0 lead after plating another run in the top of the second, as Sarni hit a sacrifice fly to score Justin Harvey who got on following a one-out base hit to right. However, the Red Dragons quickly tied the score with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the second.
 
The inning started with two consecutive hits before Moeller got back-to-back outs on a pop up and a strikeout, but a hit by pitch in the following at-bat loaded the bases for Nick Chemotti who knocked a two RBI base hit to tie the score at 2-2. Cortland took the lead for good in the fourth. A one-out double put a runner in scoring position and a drop in the outfield allowed two runners on the corners for Chris Bonacci who doubled to right to give the Red Dragons the lead before a sacrifice fly pushed another run across.
 
The Hawks faced a 9-2 deficit heading into the ninth with Cortland adding runs in the sixth and a four-run eighth inning. SUNY New Paltz put up a fight though, rallying to score five runs in the final frame, but left a runner on with two outs to spare which ended the threat.  
Sarni, Ristano, Fabian Apicella and Christopher Sais each had two hits apiece with Apicella adding two RBI and a walk and Ristano tallying a run and an RBI, while Sarni scored two runs with an RBI at the leadoff spot.
 
Nick Harvey earned the game two start and threw 5.1 innings, giving up six hits, five earned runs with four walks and three strikeouts in the loss.

Like in game one, the Hawks jumped out to a lead after the first, and again it was Ristano coming up with a big hit with runners on. The senior smacked a double down the right field line to plate Sarni who got on with a leadoff double. Alex Oulette, who got the start at first, brought Ristano home on a base hit through the right side to bring the lead to 2-0. A two-run home run in the bottom of the second knotted the score at 2's for Cortland with the Red Dragons going up in the sixth. They led off with a base hit and eventually loaded the bases with an intentional walk and a regular walk before Hunter Holiday hit a one-out two-RBI single to push his team ahead. Mike Ascanio came in to pitch for Harvey, but yielded one more run before inning's end, as Cortland took a 5-2 cushion into the seventh.  
 
SUNY New Paltz had opportunities to add on offensively, as it stranded Sarni on second with two-outs in the seventh and wasted a leadoff base hit by Justin Harvey in the ninth.
 
Ristano was the only Hawk to finish with multiple hits in the game, going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI and recorded his fourth-straight game with at least two hits. Sarni finished 1-for-4 with a run and a walk.
 
James Trink pitched game three on Sunday and went 3.2 innings, allowing four hits and one earned run with five walks and two strikeouts. The game was scoreless until the Hawks plated a run in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Justin Harvey, which brought home Ristano. Cortland answered in the bottom of the inning, which proved the difference in the game. Walks and a wild pitch loaded the bases, and the Red Dragons took advantage as a sacrifice fly pushed one run across and a passed ball plated another before a two-RBI single brought the lead to 4-1.
 
Cortland added an insurance run in the fifth with the Hawks scoring one in the eighth, but the offense was stalled there resulting in a 6-2 loss. SUNY New Paltz out-hit the Red Dragons, 9-8, but totaled nine walks between five different pitchers.
 
Tommy Kreider led the way offensively, going 3-for-5 with a stolen base. Justin Harvey followed, hitting 2-for-4 with an RBI. Ristano pushed his hitting streak to 10 games, as he went 1-for-5 with a run scored. Apicella added a run, two walks and a stolen base.
 
SUNY New Paltz dropped to 6-12 overall and 0-6 in the conference following its three-game weekend slate. The Hawks return to Loren Campbell Field Friday and Saturday, facing Oswego for their three-game SUNYAC series.

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