NEW PALTZ — The New Paltz men’s baseball team split their doubleheader Saturday against the Fredonia Blue Devils. The Hawks lost the first game 9-4 and won the second 11-7. New Paltz is now 8-18-1 on the year and 2-6 in the conference.
In game 1, the Hawks grabbed the early lead in the bottom of the first on Ernesto Sosa’s (Santa Domingo, DR) RBI single. The Blue Devils countered with six runs in the next three innings to take a five-run lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Clobys Guerrero (New York, NY) grounded out, scoring Jimmy Fisher (Bloomsbury, NJ). The Hawks got two more in the inning on Kevin Smith’s (Niskayuna, NY) RBI double, and Gus Ortega’s (Rosendale, NY) RBI single, making the score 6-4 in favor of Fredonia. The Blue Devils pushed across three more runs in the top of the sixth for the 9-4 final. John Miraldi (Denville, NJ) took the loss for New Paltz giving up five runs on four hits in 2 and 1/3 innings of work.
In game 2, The Hawks erupted for all eleven runs in the first three innings and held off the Blue Devils for an 11- 7 win. In the first, Vinnie Perry (Kingston, NY) scored on a Fredonia throwing error, Paul Schropfer (Glen Oaks, NY) scored on Ernesto Sosa’s sacrifice bunt, and John Buonamano (Royersford, PA) doubled in Randy Walters (Collierville, TN) for a 3-0 lead. Fredonia got three back in the top of the second, and the Hawks countered in the bottom half of the inning on Perry’s RBI double. Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the third, New Paltz exploded for seven runs to take an 11-5 lead. Sosa started the rally with a solo homerun, and Jeff Lackaye (Woodstock, NY) stole home for the second run of the inning. Tom Bigler’s (Brewster, NY) RBI single, and Schropfer’s RBI sacrifice fly brought the score to 8-5. Ernesto Sosa doubled in two to left field, and Walters scored on a wild pitch to close out the scoring for the Hawks. From there, pitcher Jesus Estaba (Brooklyn, NY) shut down the Blue Devils, pitching 5 and 2/3 innings giving up five hits and no runs while striking out five.
Coach Mike Juhl was pleased with the Hawks after the games. “Getting the second game was a big boost for us,” he said. “I elected to start all the reserves in game one to change things up and they did well. Estaba has done an excellent job securing the bullpen for us. Everything hangs in the balance against Brockport,” he added.
The Hawks will battle the Golden Eagles Sunday in a doubleheader with huge SUNYAC playoff implications beginning at noon at Loren Campbell Field.
