New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz collected a doubleheader sweep of Potsdam Thursday afternoon on Mary Gray Deane Field, 2-0 and 4-1, respectively.
 
The Hawks improved to 11-13 overall and 4-0 in the SUNYAC, as they held the Bears (7-16, 1-7) to seven hits total and one run scored through the two games played Thursday.
 
Sydney Waldon started Game 1 for SUNY New Paltz and earned a complete game, two-hit shutout victory to improve her record to 5-7 on the year. She allowed just two walks with seven strikeouts on 24 batters faced.
 
The Hawks gave Waldon some run support to start the first, as Kelsey O'Brien earned a free base and quickly moved to third after stealing second and advancing on the errant throw from behind the plate. Ella Sharrock did the rest, as she scored O'Brien on a ground out back to the pitcher, but O'Brien was too quick for the throw at the plate, as she got under the tag to push SUNY New Paltz ahead, 1-0.
 
The Hawks came through on the defensive end as well, as Waldon picked up back-to-back strikeouts following a lead-off walk to start the second. Emmie Mae Cabrera then threw to Maddie Anderson at short with Potsdam caught in a pickle retreating back to first, but Anderson made a heads up play to throw out the Bears with Ella Sharrock laying down the tag at first to get out of the inning. Sharrock got SUNY New Paltz out of the fourth as well, making a nice catch on a hard-hit liner, before stepping on the first base bag for an unassisted double-play to force the third out after Potsdam earned a single a batter earlier.
 
The Hawks provided an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, as Lauren Serrao kept the inning alive as she hustled down the first base line and got to the bag safely on a throw into the dirt before advancing into scoring position on the error. Jackie Rometo then came up clutch, as the senior laced a ball through the left side to score Serrao and extend the lead to 2-0.
 
 
Waldon closed out the final two innings, getting out of a slight jam with two runners on due to a hit-by-pitch and a walk. The senior locked in and earned a strikeout before earning a flyout to get out of the sixth. After giving up a leadoff hit in the seventh, she forced three-straight outs to solidify the victory.  
SUNY New Paltz accounted for three hits in the game, which came from Rometo, Sharrock and Mallory Rohon with Rometo and Sharrock picking up two key RBI to aid in the win. Rometo and O'Brien also added stolen bases.
 
The Hawks trailed to start Game 2, and it wasn't until the bottom of the fifth when they found their first offensive output of the game. Rometo was the catalyst, as she got on with a one-out single and stole second to put herself in scoring position. O'Brien was helped on following a throwing error from short before Sharrock loaded the bases on a shallow base knock to left. Mallory Rohon then snatched the lead from the Bears, ripping a long fly over the glove of the left fielder to score Rometo and O'Brien for a two-RBI double. Maddie Anderson followed with a two-RBI double to plate pinch-runner Kate Hope and Sharrock to give the Hawks some breathing room.
 
The inning was all SUNY New Paltz needed to hold on the rest of the way, as Leah Gunsett continued to pitch well from the hill. The freshman transfer got out of the sixth with a strikeout, stranding a runner on and finished the seventh with a pop-up and ground out to help the Hawks for the series sweep.
 
Gunsett improved her record to 5-5 after tossing a full seven innings and allowing just five hits, one earned run, no walks with four strikeouts on 27 batters faced. Sharrock led the team at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a run and a walk. Rometo and O'Brien each had a hit and a run scored, while Anderson and Rohon accounted for two doubles and all four RBI.
 
SUNY New Paltz resumes SUNYAC action Friday, hosting Plattsburgh on Mary Gray Deane Field for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
 

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