Syracuse, NY — The State University of New York Athletic Conference announced its weekly award winners Monday with Hawks senior shortstop Matt Sarni named to his first SUNYAC Baseball Athlete of the Week honor.
 
Sarni is the first SUNYAC Baseball Player of the Week recipient for the Hawks of the year after Michael Ascanio (April 14), Tommy Kreider (March 31), Anthony Pericolosi (March 24) and Fabian Apicella (March 10) were honored last season.
 
The Levittown, NY native led SUNY New Paltz in its season opening three-game series in Virginia Beach over the weekend. Starting at short and leading off in all three games, he led his team in hits (5) and total bases (8), hitting .455 after going 5-for-11 with five runs, three walks and his first home of the year with an on-base-percentage of .600, a slugging percentage of .727.
 
Sarni brought SUNY New Paltz within three in Game 1 against Virginia Wesleyan Friday, belting a two-run home run in the seventh to cut the score, 6-3. In Game 2, he galvanized an explosive offensive performance against the Marlins, scoring the game's first run in the first before finishing with a team-high three runs and three RBI, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate with two walks in an 18-8 rout. In Game 3, he contributed two of the team's five hits and scored in the sixth to push his team ahead, 2-1. He finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored and even came in to pitch and tossed an inning in relief.
 
The Hawks are back in action Friday for a single, nine-inning road against Kean at 3 p.m.
 
To read the official SUNYAC press release, click here.
 

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