Lowville, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz traveled north to face SUNY Canton Saturday to begin its three-game series with a doubleheader hosted at Lowville High School.
 
The Hawks shutout the hosting Roos in Lowville, NY with 3-0 and 5-0 victories Saturday as SUNY New Paltz limited Canton to just nine hits total in the doubleheader win.
 
Kiran Paingankar earned the Game 1 start and pitched one of his best outings of his collegiate career, going eight innings, allowing just five hits and one walk with eight strikeouts to match a career-high in the 3-0 shutout victory.
 
He was given run support to start the first as Matt Sarni led the game off with a double before he was brought home three batters later by Garrett Grathwohl on an RBI single through the left side.
 
The offense was capped for SUNY New Paltz in the third, as Joe Richetti struck a two-out RBI single up the middle to plate Tommy Poggi. Tommy Benfer continued the two-out rally, as he belted a double out to left, allowing Richetti to score and cushioning the lead to 3-0.  
Paingankar went to work from there with Sarni coming in from short to earn the save as he pitched the ninth after 138 pitches thrown by the reigning SUNYAC Rookie of the Year in Paingankar. Sarni tossed 13 pitches to garner three-straight outs to register his second save of the year.
 
Sarni also produced in the batter's box, as he was the only Hawk to record two hits in the game, going 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, a walk and a stolen base.
 
Dylan Hayes notched his second career start and first on the year and threw a complete game shutout, giving up just four hits and no walks with four strikeouts in the victory to improve his overall record to 3-1.
 
The game was scoreless until SUNY New Paltz broke through in the sixth. Sarni started the rally, as he led off the inning with a walk. Fabian Apicella put down a sacrifice bunt to move Sarni over and both runners were safe and advanced into scoring position following an errant throw by the pitcher. Wallace Kirkpatrick brought Sarni home on a sacrifice flyout, but the Hawks couldn't pile on as Apicella was left stranded as Canton forced a foul out and then a ground out after Johnny McHugh walked.
 
SUNY New Paltz provided insurance runs for Hayes in the seventh, taking advantage of a Roos pitching change. Louis Kaleb ripped a double to right, plating Nico Batkay who led off the inning with a base hit. Sarni followed Kaleb with a double, allowing the junior transfer to round the bases for another run scored. Again, though, the rally ended as Canton forced two straight outs to strand Sarni in scoring position.
 
The Hawks piled two more in the eighth after the Roos allowed the first two runners on with walks. After Joe Scarabino loaded the bases on a single, Batkay brought a runner across on a fielder's choice before Christian Apicella secured another run following a sac bunt.
 
Richetti led the offense in Game 2, going 2-for-3 with a double, run scored and a walk. Sarni had a double, run scored, RBI and two walks, while McHugh drew three walks and had a run scored.
 
SUNY New Paltz improved to 17-12 overall and 7-6 after Saturday's results and will conclude its three-game series Sunday against the Roos back at Lowville High School. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.


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