Bronx, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz won two more games Saturday, collecting a doubleheader road sweep of SUNY Maritime, 10-6 and 7-6.
 
Dylan Hayes picked up the game one win, closing out the final 1.1 inning. Michael Weed earned the start, and the sophomore transfer pitched well through 5.1 innings, giving up seven hits, three earned runs, no walks and added five strikeouts. He earned some run support in the third with the Hawks taking a 1-0 lead.
 
Ryan Muskopf got the inning started with a lead-off walk, getting himself into scoring position with a stolen base. Fabian Apicella advanced him over on a ground out, before Matt Sarni did his job with a sacrifice fly-out to bring Muskopf home and give SUNY New Paltz the initial lead.
 
The Hawks went up 2-0 in the sixth, as Apicella led off with a double. The hit also notched the junior his 100th career hit. He was rewarded for the extra base hit, eventually scoring two batters later. The lead dwindled in the bottom half of the inning. Weed started the frame, but was relieved by Ryan Knieriemen after allowing two runs across to tie the game at 2-2. Knieriemen did his best to limit the damage, but Maritime scored two more before the sophomore could get out of the inning.

SUNY New Paltz fought back in the eighth and ninth innings. Sarni got a two-out eighth-inning rally started with a double to left. Joe Richetti piled on with an RBI base hit through the left side, which was followed by a Tommy Kreider base hit. Anthony Pericolosi came up to the plate after Michael Ascanio was awarded a base on a hit-by-pitch, and the senior platted Richetti forcing a throwing error to tie the game at 4-4.  
Hayes kept the game tied with an efficient bottom half, helping his team carry momentum into the top of the ninth where they won the game on a six-run final inning. Dillon Ristano started the run on a base hit and SUNY New Paltz proceeded to land six-straight runners on base with Sarni officially plating the go-ahead run on a single to bring Muskopf across. The Privateers showed some life in the bottom half, but Hayes sealed the win on a pop-up to secure the 10-6 victory for his team.
 
Sarni led the team offensively, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI. Ascanio followed, going 2-for-3 with a run, two RBI and a walk. Muskopf followed with a hit, two runs scored, an RBI and two walks. Ristano also finished with two hits in four plate appearances with a walk.
 
Sarni started game two and went three innings, yielding five hits, five runs, two earned, with two walks and three strikeouts. He got early run support with SUNY New Paltz putting up a five-spot to take a 5-1 lead after the top of the second. Maritime answered with three runs in the bottom half to trim the difference to 5-4. It tied the score at 5-all in the fifth, but the Hawks re-upped the advantage in the fourth.
 
Apicella was the go-ahead run in the inning, as he led off with a base hit. He placed himself in scoring position with a stolen base and advanced to third on a wild pitch in the next at-bat. Ristano pushed him across with an RBI base hit a batter later. The lead was short-lived, however, as Maritime answered with a run in the bottom half forcing a 6-6 stalemate that lasted until the ninth.
 
Ascanio ignited the final inning with a triple down the left field line. The Privateers earned the next two outs, but Wallace Kirkpatrick got the job done, sailing a long fly ball to center, easily plating the speedy Ascanio for what was the game-winning run. Johnny McHugh pitched the bottom of the ninth and allowed the lead-off hitter on but forced a ground out and then a double-play to close the game to stamp the 7-6 final.
 
McHugh earned the win — the first of his career for the freshman. He allowed just one hit in three innings pitched on nine batters faced. Ascanio was the catalyst though, as the senior finished the game, 3-for-4 with an RBI a walk and was the game-winning run.
 
SUNY New Paltz improved to 3-2 overall, while adding to a winning streak of three games as it enters its next outing Tuesday against Kean University. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. in Union, New Jersey.


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