New Paltz, NY — It was a senior day sweep for the Hawks over the Red Dragons Friday.
 
The State University of New York New Paltz highlighted a doubleheader sweep over visiting Oneonta on Loren Campbell Field with a 10-inning walk-off by star senior Tommy Kreider to help the Hawks to two wins on the day, 9-4 and 5-4, respectively.
 
Kreider, a preseason All-American, was the catalyst, as he finished the afternoon going 6-for-10 with three runs, a walk and three RBI including the game-winning hit in Game 2 to seal a comeback win for his team. The offensive output also puts Kreider just three hits away from surpassing the all-time program record of 210 which was held by alumni John DeKams since 2007.
 
The afternoon was started with a strong outing by freshman ace Kiran Paingankar in Game 1. The Bellmore, NY native threw five innings, allowed seven hits, three earned runs and two walks with six strikeouts in the win, improving his record to 4-1 overall.
 
He had to climb out of jam in the first, as Oneonta took the initial 1-0 lead following an RBI base hit through the left side to score their runner from second who earned the base off a steal during the at-bat, beating a close play at the plate after sliding under the tag of Dillon Ristano at home. The Red Dragons kept the inning alive with another drive through the left side of the infield, but Paingankar limited the damage, striking out the side to force the bottom of the frame.
 
 
SUNY New Paltz picked up its young arm with offense in its first time at bat. Anthony Pericolosi started the rally, rocketing the first pitch he saw to the right field fence for a lead-off double. After a walk to Kreider, Dillon Ristano moved both runners over on a flyout down the right foul line with Kreider just getting under the tag at second to keep the inning alive. The play turned key, as Wallace Kirkpatrick turned on a ball that found that gap in shallow center to score both Pericolosi and Kreider to push the Hawks ahead, 2-1 with the hosts never trailing the rest of the way.
 
SUNY New Paltz kept the bats hot in the second, as Pericolosi crushed a slider on a 1-1 count to get two on with no outs. Kreider continued the rally, tailing a blooper to center to load the bases for Michael Ascanio. The senior came through as he continued his record-setting hitting streak to 27 games, hitting a chopper through the gap between third and short to score both runners to push the game to 5-1.

Oneonta got back on the board in the third. Josh Gilkey hit a one-out single to right before Anthony Foglia answered with a well hit ball in the gap at left center that rolled all the way to the fence to score their first run of the game with Gilkey going first to home on the play. Paingankar again limited the damage. He jammed up the next hitter on a good pitch that resulted in an easy line out to Matt Sarni at short before forcing a pop up to Ristano in foul territory behind the plate that the senior handled near the back stop.
 
 
SUNY New Paltz raised its hand in the bottom of the third, scoring two more to extend its cushion to 8-2, taking advantage of a throwing error on a routine grounder by Pericolosi and the Hawks bullpen did the rest as Tyler Lopez and Ryan Knieriemen came in to combine for three hits and one walk in the last four innings to preserve the win.
 
Four different Hawks had a multi-hit game as the offense accounted for 12 hits and 35 at-bats. Pericolosi went 2-for-4 with three runs, a double, an RBI and a walk. Kreider went 2-for-4 with two runs and a walk. Ascanio finished 2-for-5 with a run and two RBI, while Sarni hit 2-for-4 with a run. Ryan Muskopf added a hit, and two runs scored with two walks while Alex Ouellette accounted for a double in pinch hitting duties, going 1-for-2 with an RBI after taking over in left field in the fifth.  
SUNY New Paltz trailed for most of Game 2, as it faced a 4-1 hole entering the sixth, but rallied in the bottom half thanks to a two-out comeback started with a base knock to right by Sarni. Sarni stole second and advanced on an overthrow at the bag by Oneonta's catcher. Pericolosi again proved clutch, as he struck a ball to center to score Sarni before Kreider tied the game at 4-4 on bomb over the center field fence to get his team back in.
 
Neither team provided the go-ahead run in regulation, forcing extra innings. Michael Weed came in the seventh and held onto the stalemate with the Hawks' top of the order starting the 10th. Pericolosi smacked a ball to left to get the go-ahead run on and Kreider did the rest, as he pulled a ball to the deep left center gap, allowing Pericolosi to go from first to home without a threat of a play at the plate to cement the 5-4 walk off win.
 
SUNY New Paltz accounted for 13 hits with Kreider totaling four of them. He finished 4-for-6 with one run and three RBI including two extra base hits with a home run and double while adding three stolen bases. Pericolosi went 2-for-4 with two runs, RBI and two walks with two stolen bases. Ristano hit 2-for-4 with a run, while Ryan Mackle added two hits.
 
Friday's result pushed the Hawks to 26-13 overall and 13-4 in the SUNYAC, notching its best conference mark in program history with still one game to go as they complete their series against the Red Dragons Saturday. The two losses slipped the Red Dragons to the fourth seed in the SUNYAC playoff while the Hawks have an opportunity to lock up the No. 2 seed with a win Saturday.
 
The Hawks are set for their regular season finale Saturday on Loren Campbell Field against Oneonta. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.
 

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