Hawks Remain Even After Day One of Spring Trip

FT. PIERCE, FL — In the first game of their Spring Trip to Fort Pierce, Florida, the SUNY New Paltz baseball team earned an 11-3 victory over Mount St. Vincent behind the superior pitching of sophomore Jimmy Donohue (Deer Park, NY). In the later game, the Hawks also scored 11 runs, but Principia College scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to steal a 12-11 win.

After arriving in Ft. Pierce, FL at 1:00 am on Sunday morning the Hawks awoke with six runs in the first inning against Mount St. Vincent (7-4). Junior third baseman John DeKams (Kings Park, NY) continues to swing the bat well this spring as he knocked in seniors, catcher Josh Gutes (Hauppauge, NY) and outfielder Jeff Cote’ (Mechanicsville, MD) with a first inning double to propel the Hawks to a six-run inning. Senior first baseman Dean Glanzman (Commack, NY) followed suit with the first of his three hits to bring home DeKams. Junior outfielder George Perry (Port Jervis, NY) provided a two-run triple and freshman second baseman Tyler Antrim (East Haddam, CT) added a sacrifice fly to give SUNY New Paltz (6-5) a comfortable edge early in the affair.

Donohue kept the Dolphins at bay with another solid performance. Donohue collected his first win of 2006 working six innings he allowed six hits, two earned runs, and walked two, while striking out ten. Freshman pitcher Tristan Greene (East Hampton, NY) threw three innings of relief allowing only one hit, while walking two and striking out three.

The Dolphins threatened with two runs in the fourth off base-hits from freshman infielder Josh Cuozzo (Westbury, NY) and sophomore catcher Logan Mauzy (Homer, NY). SUNY New Paltz, however, responded with a run in the sixth, three runs in the seventh and a run in the eighth. DeKams, Perry, and Cote’ collected two hits apiece. DeKams and Perry both knocked in three, as junior outfielder Justin Buonamano (Royersford, PA) launched a two-run homer in the seventh, his first of the year.

In the second game of the afternoon, the Hawks lost a heartbreaker to Principia College, 12-11. Principia College (2-5) built a seven-run lead, 10-3, through the first six innings, which included an eight-run second inning. SUNY New Paltz (6-6) rallied with six runs in the seventh and two more in the ninth to put Gutes on the mound with a one-run lead. Gutes surrendered the game-winning run after a couple of hard-luck calls from the officiating crew to pick up his first loss of the season.

Gutes sparked the SUNY New Paltz six-run seventh with a two-run, pinch-hit double. Cote’, Perry and Lopez each recorded an RBI single in the inning, as senior outfielder Ryan Schafer (Oceanside, NY) added a pinch-hit sacrifice fly. The Hawks took a one-run advantage in the ninth when Gutes drew a walk to bring home senior shortstop Jeff Sosis (New Rochelle, NY) and Lopez crossed the plate on an error by junior shortstop Josh Reeseman (Rockville Centre, NY).

Cote’ led the Hawks with three hits in the contest. DeKams, Lopez and junior shortstop Daniel Garcia (Patterson, NY) each collected two hits. DeKams totaled two RBI, as Lopez and Garcia each knocked in one, Lopez scored thee times for SUNY New Paltz. Gutes went 1-for-2 with a run and three RBI. Junior pitcher Greg Campo (Staten Island, NY) got the start, but gave up seven earned runs in only one and two-thirds innings of work. Sophomore pitcher Jason Solotaroff (Wappingers Falls, NY) calmed the Panthers’ bats with a sound relief appearance. Solotaroff allowed six hits and two runs over five and a third innings, walking one and striking out four.

DeKams and sophomore pitcher Jeff Stith (Selden, NY) are scheduled to take the mound for the Hawks tomorrow, Monday, March 20, in a doubleheader against Earlham College, beginning at 10:00 am.