Annandale-on-Hudson, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz used a nine-run sixth inning to earn a convincing 12-4 win over hosting Bard College Friday.
 
The Hawks improved to 11-8 overall and took game one of a three-game series over the weekend against the Raptors.
 
Xavier Zykoff had another stout outing, as he tossed eight innings, gave up just seven hits, three earned runs and two walks with four strikeouts on 34 batters faced. Connor Olson came in to pitch the ninth for SUNY New Paltz to finish out the win.
 
The game was scoreless until the top of the third when a full count walk to Nick Harvey prolonged the inning with two outs. SUNY New Paltz took advantage of the free base given, as Tommy Kreider then earned a walk to first after getting hit by a pitch on the following at-bat. Michael Ascanio then came through and sliced a short liner through the middle to plate both Harvey and Kreider to give his team the lead.
 
Bard took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, starting the inning with three straight hits and a hit-by-pitch, which scored the Raptors first run. Hawks coach Thomas Seay stuck with his sophomore on the mound though and had him battle through. Zykoff earned a ground out with the bases loaded that tied the score and a wild pitch allowed the go-ahead run to get home, but Zykoff grinded through the last two outs on a strikeout and groundout to keep the lead within reach entering the fifth.
 
 
SUNY New Paltz gave Zykoff plenty of run support in the sixth to propel the win. Miscues plagued the Raptors in the inning, as walks, a passed ball and a drop in the outfield allowed the Hawks to load the bases with no outs. Dillon Ristano pushed SUNY New Paltz back ahead, knocking a two-RBI single to center to plate Ascanio and Anthony Pericolosi. Fabian Apicella added another run, as he ripped a single up the middle to score Boccarossa from third.  
The Hawks loaded the bases once again after Justin Ortiz was hit by a pitch, as he pinch-hit for Christopher Sais. The Raptors opted for a pitching change with the top of the order up to bat, but the fresh arm didn't help the hosts, as Nick Harvey rifled a double to right to empty the bases for three RBI and extended the advantage, 8-3. Ascanio scored Harvey a batter later on a sacrifice fly with RBI base hits from Pericolosi and Boccarossa capping the hot inning to fatten the cushion to 11-3.
 
Zykoff was steady in the seventh and eighth innings to hold onto the comfortable eight-run lead. Ortiz added another for SUNY New Paltz in the top of the ninth on a RBI double, which scored Justin Harvey from third. Bard earned back a run in the bottom of the frame, but Olson closed out with foul out to first to cement the win.
 
The Hawks offense was productive up and down the lineup Friday. Nick Harvey added three RBI, two runs and a walk. Ascanio also collected three RBI with a run, a stolen base and a walk. Pericolosi went 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and a walk.  Ristano chipped in with two RIB and a walk, while Apicella finished 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Ortiz, meanwhile, in his first action in nearly a month, stepped in to go 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI.
 
SUNY New Paltz concludes its three-game series back in Annandale, NY on Honey Field Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.

 
***********
To stay up to date with everything #NPHawks be sure to follow us on Twitter at @nphawks, Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our Youtube channel, New Paltz Hawks.