Cortland, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz resumed SUNYAC Tournament postseason action Saturday on the campus of SUNY Cortland, opening up against No. 5 seed Oneonta in an elimination game at Dragon Field.
 
The Hawks gave up five runs early and couldn't overcome the deficit and as a result, lost 6-3 to the Red Dragons and ending their back-to-back playoff hopes.
 
Senior ace Sydney Waldon earned the start but struggled early. She gave up eight hits, six runs, three earned, with a walk and five strikeouts in five innings pitched. The Red Dragons capitalized in the top of the first thanks to a leadoff walk, followed by a throwing error by Waldon on a force at second during the next at-bat. Julia Serena took advantage for Oneonta, hitting an RBI single up the middle of the infield to give her team the initial lead.
 
Waldon earned a groundout in the next at-bat, but that pushed across another before the Red Dragons pushed one more across the plate on a muffed routine pop up at second. They then added two more in the second after Waldon forced back-to-back strikeouts to start the inning. A single by Ava Thys started the rally for Oneonta on a 2-1 count, which was followed by consecutive doubles, which pushed the difference to 5-0 heading into the bottom half.
 
Mallory Rohon kept SUNY New Paltz alive with a solo shot in the second to get moral back on the Hawks side. Leah Gunsett followed with a single that got the bench up with Kate Hope coming into pinch run. Maddie Anderson laid down a perfectly placed bunt to get runners on first and second before Lauren Serrao got on following an error to load the bases. Sophia D'Arcangelis then came through, as the senior knocked a double to left and scored both Hope and Anderson to cut deficit to 5-3.
 
 
The offense stalled there, however, as another error in the fourth on a dropped foul ball at first brought momentum down from the Hawks who were started to gain footing. Oneonta, once again, took advantage as Serena stroked her third straight hit with another double to score Sophia Mango to bring the lead to 6-3.

SUNY New Paltz had a chance to answer in the bottom half. Emmie Mae Cabrera was hit by a pitch to place a runner on with one out, but Lindsey Serrao, pinching running for Cabrera, was tagged at second on an attempted steal. D'Arcangelis and Kelsey O'Brien kept the inning going with back-to-back base hits, but Jackie Rometo couldn't get them across as a liner back to the pitcher ended the threat.
 
Oneonta closed the door there, getting the Hawks on nine-straight outs to hold onto the 6-3 result.
 
SUNY New Paltz totaled six hits. D'Arcangelis led the way going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Anderson followed with a hit and run scored. Gunsett finished 1-for-2 with a walk, while Rohon accounted for a run scored an RBI on her home run in the second.
 
The Hawks end the year at 22-18 overall. They graduate key players in D'Arcangelis, Rometo, Waldon, pitcher Alyssa Zangrilli and infielder Lauren Parete.


******************
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.