Oneonta, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz took on Buffalo State on the campus of SUNY Oneonta Thursday in the opening round of the SUNYAC Tournament.
 
The two teams traveled to Oneonta due to weather at top seed Cortland, and the Hawks had trouble stringing together hits to answer a run scored in consecutive innings by the Bengals and as a result suffered an 8-2 loss. The defeat pushes SUNY New Paltz into the loser's bracket Saturday, needing to win out to defend its championship title.
 
Buffalo State took the initial 1-0 lead to start the first inning after plating its lead-off batter on a hit down the right field line, scoring Grace Albano who started the game with a walk. Sydney Waldon got out of the jam after allowing the first three base runners on with three consecutive outs. The Hawks answered in the bottom half with Ella Sharrock scoring Kelsey O'Brien with a two-out, RBI base hit up the middle to tie the game at 1-1.
 
The Bengals led off the second with a double and took advantage of the extra base hit with a two-out RBI single to re-take the lead in the second but once again, SUNY New Paltz answered in the bottom half. Maddie Anderson ripped a lead-off triple down the right field line and a Lauren Serrao sacrifice bunt got the job done to score Anderson, locking up the game at 2-2 by inning's end.
 
A two-out walk allowed Buffalo State kept the third inning alive, and it took advantage, scoring another on a double to right center to re-take the lead. The top of the fourth mirrored the same result, as the Bengals continued a two-out rally stemmed off a walk with back-to-back base hits to push their lead to 4-2 heading into the next frame. Mallory Rohon answered for SUNY New Paltz in the bottom half, working a 2-1 pitch through the left side for a lead-off base hit but a foul out followed by a double play grounder back to pitcher ended the threat.
 
 
The Hawks didn't threaten in the next two innings, while Buffalo State opened up the game in the seventh with a four-run inning and forced the Hawks to look at a six-run hole with three outs left. Leah Gunsett opened up the bottom of the seventh with a base hit, but a double play once again killed momentum, as Buffalo State closed out the next batter with a strikeout to take the win.
 
Waldon suffered the loss after throwing four innings, giving up seven hits, four earned runs and four walks with three strikeouts. Gunsett pitched the final three innings and allowed six hits, four earned runs and a walk with two strikeouts.
 
Rohon went 2-for-3, while Kelsey O'Brien had a hit and run scored. Anderson recorded a triple, and a run scored with Sharrock adding a hit and an RBI.
 
SUNY New Paltz returns to SUNYAC postseason action Saturday, playing against No. 5 seed Oneonta in an elimination game at 12 p.m.


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