New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz closed out its SUNYAC series against visiting Fredonia Saturday on Loren Campbell Memorial Field.
 
Coming off a record-setting 30-2 win in game one Friday, the Hawks couldn't duplicate the offensive output falling in the opening outing Saturday, 5-3, before coming back to earn an 8-3 win to take the three-game series.
 
After SUNY New Paltz gave up a homer in the first at-bat of the game in the opening matchup of the day, it came back to give some run support for starter James McGovern in the bottom of the second as Christopher Sais platted Fabian Apicella and Dillon Ristano on a two RBI single to right to push the Hawks ahead for the first time on the day.
 
However, Fredonia re-took control in the following half inning. Consecutive extra base hits on a triple and double gave the Blue Devils the lead with one out before a failed pickoff attempt platted another batter to extend their lead to 4-2. McGovern got out of the inning with a strikeout to limit the damage.
 
The Hawks were blanked until the bottom of the sixth. Michael Boccarossa got on with a leadoff walk before Justin Harvey brought him in a batter later, ripping a single down the right side to score Boccarossa from second who advanced on the previous at-bat on a passed ball. SUNY New Paltz couldn't pile on, however, as back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat with the hosts trailing, 4-3.
 
SUNY New Paltz went hitless in the final three innings with Fredonia adding an insurance run in the top of the ninth to solidify the 5-3 outcome.
 
McGovern took the loss after tossing six innings and giving up seven hits, three earned runs, three walks, while striking out five. The Hawks were held to four hits offensively, which came from Tommy Kreider, Michael Ascanio, Harvey and Sais.
 
 
The team bounced back in the rubber match. Robert Gregory earned the start for SUNY New Paltz and gritted out 4.1 innings, as the sophomore showed some toughness in getting out of jams in the second, third and fourth innings to keep the game scoreless.
 
Gregory had runners on second and third in the second inning and earned a strikeout to close out the side. He gave up a two-out double after hitting a batter in the third. SUNY New Paltz did well to hold the runner at the third on the extra base hit, and Gregory did the rest as he forced a slow grounder down the first base line for an easy out to escape the threat once again.  
In the top of the fourth, Gregory walked the leadoff batter, but earned two straight outs on a fly-out and a strikeout but had runners on first and second after another walk. The sophomore showed composure in regrouping to get the final out, catching Fredonia looking for his fifth strikeout of the day to keep the game at zeros.
 
The game was scoreless until the fifth when Nick Harvey rocked a solo home run over the left field fence to lead-off the bottom of the fifth. SUNY New Paltz held onto the lead until the top of the seventh with the Blue Devils taking a 3-1 advantage. The Hawks limited the damage though, as Connor Olson worked a double play to end the inning.
 
SUNY New Paltz immediately answered with Kreider getting the inning started with a lead-off double. After advancing on a passed ball, he was hit in by Ascanio on an RBI single down the right field line. Anthony Pericolosi then kept the rally going with a single, setting the table for captain Michael Boccarossa. The sixth year came up clutch for his team, as he crushed a ball over the right field fence for his first homer of the season to give his team the go-ahead runs and push them ahead, 5-3.
 
The home run was what the Hawks needed, as momentum swung completely toward the hosts. Justin Harvey followed a batter later with a double and eventually, Chris Thorne who pinch ran, scored on consecutive wild pitches to bring the cushion to 6-3.
 
Olson went back to work in the eighth and got three straight outs for a quick 1-2-3 inning and in return, his team backed him up with two more insurance runs in the bottom half. Nick Harvey started the inning with a walk and was later platted on a single from Pericolosi. Dillon Ristano then capped the scoring as he soared a bases loaded sacrifice fly to center to score Kreider from third, who earned a free base earlier in the inning.
 
Olson kept the theme going, bending but not breaking to end the game in the top of the ninth. The Blue Devils got their lead off guy on with a walk and then followed up with a single and after another walk had the bases loaded with one out. However, Olson got the job done as he forced a soft grounder to short with Fabian Apicella charging and flipping the ball to Kreider for the out at second and then firing to Garett Grathwohl at first for the 6-4-3 game ending double play.
 
Olson was given the win, his first of the season after tossing three innings, giving up three hits, four walks and one run with one strikeout. Gregory's stat line finished at 4.1 innings pitched, three hits, no runs, two walks with five strikeouts. Freshmen Ryan Knieriemen and Dylan Thomasson each made appearances on the hill for SUNY New Paltz and pitched well, combining for no hits, two earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts in an inning of work.
 
The Hawks offense came alive in game two of the day, totaling 13 hits and seven RBI. Ascanio went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Pericolosi also went 3-for-5 with a stolen base, a run and RBI. Nick Harvey had two runs, an RBI and a walk. Kreider continued his impressive season, finishing 2-for-2 with a double, two runs, three walks and a steal. Boccarossa only hit came in the most critical time, on his three-run homer in the seventh.

SUNY New Paltz ends the weekend at 10-8 overall and 3-3 in the SUNYAC. It takes a break from conference action next week as it faces Mount Saint Mary and Mount Saint Vincent Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, on Loren Campbell Field before going into a three-game series against Bard April 5 and 6.


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