Hawks Surrender Five in the Ninth in Loss to Ithaca

NEW PALTZ, NY — Trailing 3-2 with two-out and two on in the top of the ninth, Ithaca College rallied for five runs to pull out a 7-3 win over SUNY New Paltz this afternoon.

Sophomore shortstop Rob Litz (Walkill, NY) lined a two-strike double to left center field that sent home the tying and go-ahead runs and put the Bombers ahead, 4-3. Litz singled off freshman Greg Campo (Staten Island, NY) who relieved starter Joe Gugliotta (Bayport, NY) who went eight and a third innings. Ithaca (8-4) added three more runs in the inning off Campo who was 2-for-2 in his previous save opportunities.

SUNY New Paltz (6-12) erased a 2-0 deficit with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth to move ahead 3-2. With two out in the bottom of the sixth, freshman third baseman John DeKams (Kings Park, NY) drew a walk and scored on an RBI double by junior shortstop Pete Esposito (Brooklyn, NY). Esposito collected two hits on the day and is now eight for his last 12 at the plate with eight runs batted in.

DeKams had an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Ithaca lead to 2-1. Senior second baseman Silvestre Castro (New York, NY) added an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at two.

Senior designated hitter Pat Carroll (Walworth, NY) was 2-for-3 with three runs batted in for Ithaca. Carroll hit a solo homer as part of a two-run top of the first for the Bombers.

Senior Kyle Sottung (Pulaski, NY) improved to 4-1 on the year with three innings of one-hit ball. Gugliotta, who dropped to 1-2, gave up seven hits and four earned runs in his fourth start of the season. He walked one and struck out one.