Fredonia, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz split its doubleheader series against hosting Fredonia Friday after winning 6-3 in Game 1 and falling 8-0 in five innings in Game 2.
 
The result pushes the Hawks' record to 21-15 and 14-2 in the SUNYAC with a pivotal regular season finale Saturday against Buffalo State with SUNY New Paltz needing two wins to guarantee the top seed and hosting duties in the SUNYAC Tournament for the third straight year.
 
Sydney Waldon was the Game 1 winner, pitching a complete seven inning game, allowing just five hits, three earned runs with eight walks and seven strikeouts.
 
The Blue Devils struck first with a run in the second. A leadoff walk haunted the Hawks in the inning, as the free runner was later brought home with a two-out base hit to give the hosts the initial, 1-0 lead.
 
Kelsey O'Brien brought SUNY New Paltz back in the third, as she crushed her sixth home run of the season to bring the Hawks a 2-1 lead. They added insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings, as Jackie Rometo scored on a throwing error after getting on with a lead-off base hit in the fifth. She moved over on a stolen base and a single from O'Brien. Maddie Anderson scored on an RBI base hit by Sophia D'Arcangelis in the sixth with the visitors adding two more insurance runs in the seventh to close out the win.
 
O'Brien was the catalyst, as she finished 2-for-3 with one run, two RBI, a stolen base and one walk. Mallory Rohon followed as she added a home run with two RBI. Rometo tallied a hit, two runs and a stolen base.  
SUNY New Paltz couldn't sustain the momentum into Game 2, as it was limited to just two hits, which came from Ella Sharrock and Lauren Serrao. Serrao laid down a bunt single in the third but was thrown out after getting caught trying to steal second. Sharrock ripped a two-out double in the fourth to get the Hawks in scoring position for the first time int the game, but they couldn't take advantage as a line-out concluded the threat.
 
Fredonia, meanwhile, was efficient with its six hits leaving just two runners stranded all game. It took a 2-0 lead in the first and then blew the game open with a six-run third inning.
 
Leah Gunsett was given the loss in a tough outing where she uncharacteristically allowed eight earned runs with three walks on six hits in three innings pitched with three strikeouts. Alyssa Zangrilli pitched the fifth and earned three straight outs all on grounders to the infield.
 
SUNY New Paltz is back in action Saturday to conclude its regular season with a doubleheader against Buffalo State at 2 and 4 p.m., respectively.


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