Baseball Splits With Lakers, Kelts Takes Two Deep

NEW PALTZ, NY — The Hawks held Oswego at bay after taking a 4-3 lead in the sixth to earn the 9-4 victory in game one. SUNY New Paltz dropped the second game of the conference doubleheader, 7-5, to the Lakers.

SUNY New Paltz (17-18, 3-9) grabbed a one-run lead with two runs in the sixth. Sophomore catcher Robert Helf (Peconic, NY) picked up a RBI on a fielder’s choice and senior first baseman Matt Zajdel (Agawam, MA) singled in the other to give the Hawks the edge. Oswego (12-15, 4-8) threatened in the seventh, getting two base runners aboard. Senior pitcher Ryan Schafer (Oceanside, NY) and sophomore pitcher Jason Solotaroff (Wappingers Falls, NY) provided the Hawks with some clutch relief pitching, as they kept the Lakers off the scoreboard in the inning. Schafer struck out his only batter faced, and Solotaroff retired the next to get the Hawks out of the jam. Sophomore pitcher Jeff Stith (Selden, NY) earned his fifth win of 2006, working six and a third, he allowed two earned runs on seven hits, while walking four and striking out three.

Senior outfielder Bill Kelts (Waterford, NY) led the Hawks at the plate collecting four hits in the first game. Kelts launched a two-run homerun in the seventh to help SUNY New Paltz to a five-run inning. Junior outfielder Justin Buonamano (Royersford, PA), junior shortstop Daniel Garcia (Patterson, NY) and senior first baseman Dean Glanzman (Commack, NY) each knocked in a run in the inning. Junior third baseman John DeKams (Kings Park, NY) went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI single in the fourth. Buonamano went 2-for-3, with a run scored and two RBI.

Sophomore pitcher Justin White (Central Square) picked up the loss for Oswego. Sophomore outfielder Anthony Coromato (Notre Dame) led the team offensively totaling two hits and two RBI.

The Lakers took the second game 7-5, behind a four-run fourth inning. Coromato laced a two-run single, and later scored on a sacrifice fly, while freshman infielder Zack Owen (Churchville-Chili) took home on a wild pitch to give Oswego a 6-3 lead. SUNY New Paltz pulled to within one, scoring a run in the fourth and another in the fifth, when Kelts connected on his seventh homerun of the season. Oswego picked up an insurance run in the sixth to post the 7-5 win.

DeKams recorded two hits and three RBI in the contest for SUNY New Paltz. Kelts went 1-for-3, scoring twice and knocking in a run. Junior pitcher Greg Campo (Staten Island, NY) fell to 2-3 on the year, working five and two-thirds innings in the loss.

Coromato went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI. Junior pitcher Adam Harendza (Johnson City) picked up the win, throwing four solid innings of relief for the Lakers.

The SUNY New Paltz baseball team will host Cortland in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader on Sunday, April 23, at 12:00 pm.