Brockport, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz went on the road and took game one of its three-game series against SUNY Brockport Friday, 10-6.
 
The victory improved the Hawks to 18-10 on the season — surpassing the most wins since the 2016 season — while boosting their SUNYAC record to 6-4 to slide into third on the conference leaderboard. The win was also the first over the Golden Eagles since 2019, which snapped a six-game losing skid with the victory in Brockport the first for SUNY New Paltz since 2017.
 
Like it has all season, the offense produced all along the lineup for the Hawks, as one through nine earned a base with SUNY New Paltz totaling 10 runs on nine hits. Fabian Apicella was the catalyst early, hitting in the seventh spot, he finished 2-for-3 with four RBI as he helped his team to a 2-0 lead in the fourth to get the first points on the board in the contest.
 
Michael Boccarossa got the inning started with a lead-off hit to left and was pushed into scoring position after Justin Harvey was plunked by a pitch a batter later. Apicella then stepped up and smacked a two-RBI base hit to center to score both Boccarossa and Harvey to give SUNY New Paltz the initial lead.
 
Brockport answered in the bottom half, taking advantage of a lead-off hit-by-pitch then a double to tie the score after both runs scored on a sacrifice fly and base hit on back-to-back at-bats. Xavier Zykoff regrouped though to limit the damage and didn't allow the Golden Eagles to pile on as he got out of the inning with a strikeout swinging to strand a runner on.
 
The offense continued for the Hawks, as the bottom of the lineup got the stretch started with Nick Harvey hitting a lead-off single. Tommy Kreider advanced Harvey over to third on a single to center a batter later, and ultimately, he scored on a passed ball to give SUNY New Paltz back the lead. Boccarossa stepped to the plate and did his job, skying a fly ball to center to score Kreider for the sacrifice to create a two-run cushion.  
Brockport battled back with a run scored in the bottom frame before taking the lead in the sixth, 5-4. Matt Sarni came in to relieve Zykoff and earned the last two outs of the inning. However, the Hawks never lost faith in their offense as they came up big once again with a game-altering, five-run seventh inning. Harvey and Michael Ascanio both earned a bag after a walk and a single, respectively, forcing the Golden Eagles to go to their bullpen. SUNY New Paltz stayed patient at the plate and loaded the bases with an Anthony Pericolosi walk. Dillon Ristano then came up with a clutch two-out hit to left, scoring both Harvey and Ascanio to re-take the lead for the Hawks.
 
Justin Harvey continued the two-out rally, slicing a double to left to score Pericolosi. Apicella then added two more RBI to his stat line as he again singled to center to score Justin Harvey and Ristano to help his team flex a 9-5 advantage by inning's end.
 
Sarni then went to work in the bottom of the seventh, sitting down each batter swinging to close out the side. Wallace Kirkpatrick added one last insurance run for SUNY New Paltz in the eighth. The freshman earned his first start of his career at catcher Wednesday against Lehman and hit his first career home run and grand slam in the game to carry the team to a win. He earned the nod at DH Friday and continued his hot play at the plate, rocketing a solo home run to lead off, extending his team's cushion to 10-5.
 
Sarni allowed a run in the eighth, but two-straight flyouts ended the threat. He then closed the game in the ninth without surrendering a hit in four batters faced to secure the victory for his team.  
 
Sarni was awarded his third win of the season, improving to 3-0 in 3.2 innings of work. He allowed just two hits, one earned run, two walks with a career-high six strikeouts. Zykoff ended the day yielding seven hits, five earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work.
 
Justin Harvey and Nick Harvey followed Apicella offensively, going 1-for-2 with a double, two runs and an RBI, and 1-for-3 with two runs and a walk, respectively. Boccarossa tallied a hit, run scored and a walk, while Ristano had a hit, a run and two RBI.
 
SUNY New Paltz and Brockport conclude its three-game series Saturday with a doubleheader back on Clark V. Whited Field. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.

 
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