NEW PALTZ, NY — Playing its first game since March 6, the SUNY New Paltz baseball team used a 12-hit attack to defeat Vassar 10-4 in the first of three meetings between the two schools this season.
The Hawks (3-6) struck early with two in the bottom of the second and two more in the bottom of the third off Vassar starter Quinn Robinson (Douglas, WY). Sophomore John DeKams (Kings Park, NY) doubled off Robinson in the third to score two and give the Hawks a 4-0 advantage. Junior William Kelts (Waterford, NY) and DeKams were a combined 5-for-7 with three runs scored and five runs batted in out of the fifth and sixth spots in the batting order respectively.
Four SUNY New Paltz pitchers combined to strike out 12 Vassar hitters. Freshman Jeff Stith (Selden, NY) made his first collegiate start and pitched five and two thirds innings to earn the victory. He allowed two hits while striking out seven. DeKams capped off a great day by pitching the final two innings and striking out four Brewers. Robinson went six innings for Vassar and allowed 10 hits to fall to 1-3 on the year.
Senior Kristaps Aldins (Westwood, MA) was one of the hitting stars for Vassar. Aldins was 2-for-5 with three runs batted in and had a two-run double in the top of the seventh to cut the SUNY New Paltz lead to 6-4. The Hawks however answered with three in bottom half of the inning on an RBI double by Kelts and a two-run single by DeKams to push the lead to 9-4.
Junior Jeff Cote’ (Mechanicsville, MD) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored while junior Vinny McAdams (Little Falls, NY) was 2-for-3 with three stolen bases and two runs scored. Vassar sophomore John Mandel (Fort Lauderdale, FL) went 3-for-5 and scored two runs for the Brewers.
Vassar had its three-game winning stopped and fell to 3-8 this spring. The two teams will play again on April 13 at Vassar and on May 2 at SUNY New Paltz.
