New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz earned a 16-11 win on Loren Campbell Field Wednesday afternoon over Vassar College. The game was only eight-innings as it was called early due to light.
 
It was a high-scoring affair between the two teams, combining for 33 hits and 25 earned runs. Ryan Knieriemen ended as the winning pitcher after he tossed the last 2.1 innings, giving up just two hits while adding a strikeout.
 
SUNY New Paltz took an initial 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first and added two insurance runs in the second after the Brewers countered with a two-run top-of-the-second. Vassar kept the game close with three more in the fourth to cut the lead to 6-5, but the Hawks answered in the bottom half.
 
Wallace Kirkpatrick got the bottom of the fourth started with a one-out single to shallow center before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch. Joe Richetti followed with a base hit and Fabian Apicella brought them both home with a two-out base hit. Apicella hit a hard grounder back to the pitcher, which he beat out at first, but the throw went over the glove of the first baseman, allowing Apicella to advance to third and Richetti and Ryan Muskopf to score, pushing the lead to 9-5.
 
After Vassar earned back a run in the fifth, SUNY New Paltz produced more run support in the bottom of the frame. Tommy Kreider was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and Michael Ascanio brought him home on an RBI double to right. Richetti scored Ascanio two batters later on a single to left, extending the advantage to 11-6.
 
 
The Brewers rallied to tie the game at 11 in the sixth inning, as they got their first five batters on. After they earned two runs on a base hit and a wild pitch, Vassar cleared the bases on a two RBI triple to get within one at 11-10. A two-out base hit to left pushed another across to tie the game before the Hawks brought in Knieriemen to earn the final out of the inning on a strikeout.  
The stalemate was short lived, as a two-out solo home run by Michael Ascanio cleared the left field fence to re-up SUNY New Paltz's lead. The hosts added four more in the seventh to create more breathing room. The inning was capped by a two-run shot by Ryan Mackle.
 
Knieriemen forced two quick outs and then closed the eighth on a fly-out after allowing one runner on, and the game was halted there due to sunlight, solidifying the 16-11 outcome.
 
Seven different Hawks registered at least one hit. Richetti was perfect, going 4-for-4 with three runs and two RBI with one walk. Ascanio went 4-for-6 with three runs and three RBI, while Pericolosi finished 3-for-5 with two runs and a walk. Kirkpatrick went 2-for-3 with three runs, a walk and two RBI, while Mackle hit 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Kreider added two hits, one run and two RBI with a stolen base, which tied the program's single season stolen base record.
 
SUNY New Paltz improved to 21-9 with the victory. It resumes play Friday, hosting Western Connecticut State on Loren Campbell Field at 3 p.m.
 

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