Hartford, CT — The State University of New York New Paltz collected a doubleheader sweep against Westfield State on the campus of Trinity College Sunday, 16-1 and 12-7, respectively.
 
The Hawks (6-4 overall) were dominant in Game 1 against the Owls (2-8) totaling 10 hits and establishing an 8-0 lead after three innings before breaking the game open with six more in the fifth. Kiran Paingankar earned the start and produced his first win of the season after throwing six innings, giving up six hits and one earned run with three walks and four strikeouts in the outing.
 
SUNY New Paltz got out in front to lead-off the first inning, as Matt Sarni walked and then got into scoring position with a stolen base before advancing over to third on an errant throw at the plate. Ryan Muskopf also walked and on a double-steal Sarni reached home to give the Hawks the initial lead. Tommy Poggi then came through with a two-out RBI single to plate Muskopf to boost the lead to 2-0 at the end of the first. Sarni knocked an RBI base hit next time up in the second before coming home two batters later on a wild pitch to bring the lead to 5-1. Muskopf then capped the four-run inning with a sacrifice fly to score Fabian Apciella from third base.

Johnny McHugh brought Poggi home after smacking a rope down to left center for a triple. He was platted by a fielder's choice on a hit from Joe Richetti three batters later, which allowed SUNY New Paltz to hold an 8-1 lead after the third inning.
 
The Hawks broke the game open in the fifth. McHugh was the first to score in the frame, helped with an RBI base hit from freshman Tommy Benfer. Sarni then brought Garrett Grathwohl home on an RBI single toward the left side of the infield. Apciella followed with an RBI base hit up the middle to plate Benfer with Poggi book-ending the inning on a two RBI double to left that brought home Wallace Kirkpatrick and Apicella.  
SUNY New Paltz unloaded its bench in the latter half of the game and continued holding its foot on the gas. Nathan Pimentel, Scott Northrop and Christian Apicella all made plate appearance for the first time in the game, and all reached. Louis Kaleb pinch hit for McHugh and loaded the bases on a walk with Grathwohl pushing Northrop across to create a 15-1 cushion. Benfer also took a base-on-balls to record an RBI as Apicella scored to cap the scoring.
 
Poggi finished the game 3-for-4 with a run, a double and three RBI. Sarni went 2-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, a walk and three steals, while Apicella hit 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, a walk and a stolen base.
 
Game 2 was tighter between the two sides. Linus Oudom earned his first collegiate win, after coming in to start the third inning for starter Connor Catania. Oudom threw four innings, allowed six hits, one earned run, two walks and had one strikeout in the outing. Dylan Hayes tossed one inning of relief and held the Owls scoreless, but it was Sarni who notched his first save of the season, pitching the final two innings and allowing two hits, one earned run and a walk with two strikeouts to hold onto the lead for his side.
 
Westfield held a 5-2 lead entering the fourth with SUNY New Paltz chiseling into the deficit with a run in the fourth before tying the game in the fifth. Muskopf doubled to left to score Sarni before coming home on a sacrifice fly out by McHugh to knot the score at 5-5.

The offense continued in the sixth. Fabian Apciella knocked a single through the left side that brought home Richetti who pinch ran for Benfer. Kirkpatrick then added an insurance run lifting a ball to center that helped plate Northrop from third.  
After the Owls answered with a run in the bottom half of the sixth, each team recorded a run int the eighth, but the Hawks offense wasn't done as they batted in four in the ninth to create a comfortable cushion. Andrew Asaro subbed in and earned a one-out walk on a good at-bat. Grathwohl and Richetti then followed with a walk and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Sarni then came through and cleared the base paths on a three RBI, two-out double to bring the lead to 11-7. Fabian Apicella then scored Sarni on the next at-bat, also recording an RBI double to bring the lead to 12-7. Sarni then closed out in the ninth on four batters faced.
 
Sarni not only earned the save but also paced the team offensively as he finished with a hit with three runs, three RBI, two walks and two steals. Fabian Apicella and Muskopf each had two hits and two RBI with Muskopf adding a run scored and Fabian Apicella tallying two steals.
 
SUNY New Paltz is back in action Tuesday, going on the road to face Montclair State for a single, nine-inning game starting at 3 p.m. before starting SUNYAC play over the weekend for a three-game series against Fredonia.


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