Salisbury, MD — The State University of New York New Paltz concluded Day 3 of the Margie Knight Tournament Sunday and split its final doubleheader series, earning an 8-0 shutout over Lynchburg before falling in a tight game against previously nationally ranked and hosting Salisbury, 6-4.
 
The Hawks head back home with a record of 5-5 overall, going 3-3 on the weekend, but showed their grit in bouncing back from a truly lowly start Friday with two tough losses. They opened Sunday's slate with their second consecutive shutout over the Hornets before falling to a top 30 team in the Gulls by two after leading through five innings played.
 
Alex Frenza picked up the lunchpail Sunday, starting both games with SUNY New Paltz's second arm and reigning All-SUNYAC pick Leah Gunsett out due to injury. Frenza threw 14 innings and gave up just 12 hits, four earned runs and nine walks combined in the two outings.
 
Against Lynchburg, the senior thew a three-hitter in the 8-0 shutout with three walks and three strikeouts on 114 pitches. SUNY New Paltz gave its ace some run support in the third to break up what was a scoreless stalemate through two innings. Michaela Bridgwood got the rally started as she got on with a base hit before putting herself in scoring position with a stolen base. Ava Thys followed with a base hit and advanced Bridgwood to third, setting the table for Kelsey O'Brien who came through with an RBI single to shallow center to give the Hawks their first lead.
 
Lynchburg opted for a pitching change, but the new arm didn't faze SUNY New Paltz's Ella Sharrock who belted a two RBI double to left, bringing the lead to 4-0. Sharrock provided an RBI double in the fifth, scoring O'Brien to push the lead to 5-0. The Hawks then put the game away with three insurance runs in the seventh. Bridgwood led off with a base hit and earned her second stolen base of the day. O'Brien hit her in two batters later before Mallory Rohon capped the scoring on a two RBI sacrifice fly.  
O'Brien and Sharrock led the way offensively, both going 3-for-4. O'Brien added three runs, two RBI and a stolen base. Sharrock registered a run scored and three RBI. Bridgwood followed, as she solidified the bottom of the order, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.
 
Bridgwood tied the score in Game 2 against Salisbury, as she ripped a single up the gut of the infield to score Lauren Serrao which tied the game at 1-1 in the second. Thys kept the rally going, as she also hit a ball up the middle to plate Kaitlyn Gordon, which gave SUNY New Paltz its first lead of the game.
 
After the Gulls tied the game at 2-2 in the third, they took the lead in the top of the fourth, 3-2. SUNY New Paltz answered in the bottom half, as Bridgwood did her job, getting her bunt down to once against score Serrao who got on with a one-out walk. Sharrock then re-gained the Hawks advantage, ripping her third home run of the year to push her team ahead, 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Salisbury answered in the sixth, started with a lead-off pinch hit. The Gulls then took advantage of Frenza third time through the lineup, as back-to-back RBI doubles tied and then pushed the go-ahead run across. They then struck another RBI double to add one last insurance run before Frenza got out of the inning with a flyout to O'Brien at center.
 
SUNY New Paltz couldn't answer in the bottom half and after Frenza worked through four batters in the seventh, the Hawks had the opportunity to get back in. Sharrock walked on five pitches and was moved over on an error by a swing from Rohon. Sharrock was then tagged at home on a bunt by Anderson that swung momentum toward Salisbury. Frenza helped her own cause with a mature at-bat, walking on a 3-2 count, but Serrao's second swing was a ground out to third that concluded the game for the Gulls.
 
Sharrock and Serrao were the offensive catalysts. Sharrock went 2-for-3 with a run, RBI and a walk, while Serrao went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk.
 
SUNY New Paltz returns home and has more than a week hiatus before its next game when it heads to Westchester County to face Purchase College in a doubleheader March 27 starting a 3 p.m.


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