New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz earned a Game 1 win over SUNY Oswego Thursday, 5-4 thanks to a go-ahead, two-run homer by Dillon Ristano.
 
The Hawks looked at a 4-3 deficit heading into the bottom of the seventh, after knotting up the game twice after scoring the game's first run. Michael Ascanio got the rally started in a gritty at-bat, fouling off pitch after pitch before belting a tailing liner into the left center gap for a one-out double, putting the go-ahead run of Ristano at the plate. Ristano got behind in the count, but slowly worked his way back, fouling off pitches and remaining patient to build a full count. He then got his barrel on a ball up in the zone that sailed over the left field wall for a go-ahead two-run home run to push SUNY New Paltz ahead, 5-4.
 
Matt Sarni then did the rest.
 
The junior co-captain was brought in from short to get the final six outs of the game, while still remaining at the ninth spot in the lineup. Sarni started his outing on the mound with a strikeout, but allowed the next batter on, as a pitch got away hitting the Lakers in the back to extend the inning. However, Sarni took the free base away, catching Oswego too far off the first base bag and picked off the runner on a throw to Ryan Muskapf at first where he made the tag in time to get the second out of the inning. Sarni then sealed the eighth with another strikeout swinging to close the frame.
 
Sarni helped his own cause with a one-out base hit to start the bottom of the eighth, but Anthony Pericolosi batted into a double play to close the eighth with the difference remaining at one leaving all weight on Sarni to make the last three outs in the ninth.
 
He gave up a leadoff walk to start, but his team back him up with some great defense as he forced the next batter into a grounder to Fabian Apicella at third, who tossed the ball to Ryan Mackle at second. Mackle quickly turned and his throw beat the runner at first with Muskapf there to secure the double play. Sarni forced a fly out on the Lakers next turn at the plate to hold onto the win for his team and secure his second save of the year.
 

"Huge win for us," Sarni said. "Our group is battle tested. We've played in these games before and it's really a credit to them. They worked their butts off and it's huge to get Game 1 of a series. Game 1 is usually the biggest game."
 
Kiran Paingankar earned the start for SUNY New Paltz and the freshman had a solid outing, going 5.1 innings, giving up six hits, four earned runs and three walks with two strikeouts on 26 batters faced. Jeff Lundstedt ended with the win after coming in for 1.2 innings of relief.
 
Paingankar showed poise in the first two innings. He worked out of a jam to start the first, as he had runners on second and third with two outs and behind in the count at 2-0. In a long eight-pitch at-bat, Paingankar ultimately struck out the side to get out of the stanza with the game at zeros. He then stranded a runner at second in the second inning, forcing a fly out to close out the side.
The Hawks gave Paingankar run support in the bottom of the first, as Pericolosi started the game with a lead-off base hit to center. Tommy Kreider followed with a base knock, before Wallace Kirkpatrick came up clutch two batters later, pulling a liner through the second base side for a two-out RBI single to push his team ahead, 1-0.
 
Oswego took the lead in the third, as it opened the inning with back-to-back base hits. With runners on the corners, the Lakers scored their first run on a double steal with them taking home after beating the throw at second as well. A sacrifice flyout then added another run with SUNY New Paltz answering in the bottom half to tie the game at twos. Pericolosi was the catalyst once again, sneaking a ball just under the glove of Oswego's center fielder for a base hit. Kreider moved him into scoring position following a single and Kirkpatrick helped the Hawks to another run, hitting a hard grounder to third that was overthrown on the attempt at first. The miscue allowed Pericolosi to score and tie the game.
 
The Lakers took a 3-2 lead in the fifth and nearly added on with two outs, but Sarni made an incredible play on a slow grounder hit to short that narrowly platted the runner at third. Instead, Sarni charged and whipped a quick, off-balanced throw to first to catch the runner at first and close out the side.
 
The play helped carry momentum into the bottom of the inning, as the Hawks tied the score at 3-3 thanks to Kirkpatrick who hit in Kreider on a two-out single. Oswego re-took the lead one last time, scoring on a passed ball, but SUNY New Paltz never wavered and continued to answer. Lundstedt sat down the side in the seventh with three-straight fly outs, and Ascanio and Ristano did the rest in the bottom half to re-take the lead.
 
"I was actually in the bullpen, but Mike worked his butt off in a 10-pitch at-bat. Dillion too, I mean they're in the middle of our lineup for a reason," Sarni said. "They can do stuff like that. My reaction was just to get ready, because I had to go out there and pitch."  
Sarni final stat line included two innings pitched, giving up no hits or runs with one walk and two strikeouts on six batters faced, and went 1-for-3 at the plate with a single and hit-by-pitch to go along with some clean defense at short.
 
"I've been doing it my whole life. Shortstop and pitching it's all I've ever known, so nothing new for me," he said. "It's just baseball, same game I've played when I was a kid."
 
Kreider and Kirkpatrick led the team offensively, both with three hits. Kreider went 3-for-4 with one run, while Kirkpatrick finished 3-for-4 with three RBI. Pericolosi chipped in with two hits and two runs scored.
 
SUNY New Paltz improved to 15-7 overall and 5-1 in the SUNYAC, while Oswego dropped to 12-7 and 4-3, respectively. The two teams are back on Loren Campbell Field Friday for a doubleheader starting at noon to conclude its regular season series.
 
"Huge. It takes the stress off your back," added Sarni of taking the Game 1 victory. "You don't have to press for two wins, just go out there, go 1-0 in the first game and see what happens."




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