Hawks Drop Two to Red Dragons

NEW PALTZ, NY — This afternoon, the SUNY New Paltz baseball team dropped both ends of a conference doubleheader to Oneonta. The Hawks struggled defensively in game one, allowing seven unearned runs in the 11-6 loss. In the second game, SUNY New Paltz grabbed a 3-2 lead in the fourth, but could not hold on in the later innings, falling 10-4.

SUNY New Paltz (12-11, 1-3) captured a one-run lead, 3-2, in the second game, behind a two-run homer from senior outfielder Bill Kelts (Waterford, NY), his fifth of the year. Oneonta (13-5, 4-0), however, plated eight runs in the final three innings to earn the 10-4 win. Junior third baseman John DeKams (Kings Park, NY) and senior first baseman Dean Glanzman (Commack, NY) collected the other hits for the Hawks, who were held to only three by junior pitcher Chris Salamida (Watervliet, NY).

Salamida picked up his fourth win of the year going the distance for the Red Dragons. He allowed four runs and walked two, while striking out four. Junior outfielder Brandon Galutz (Cortland, NY) went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and a RBI to lead Oneonta. Junior outfielder Thomas Colt (Ithaca, NY) and senior catcher Mike Kuratnick (Apalachin, NY) each collected three hits. Kuratnick provided three RBI for the Red Dragons.

Freshman pitcher Tristan Greene (East Hampton, NY) got the start for the Hawks. Greene worked hard keeping SUNY New Paltz close through the first four innings, but the Red Dragons found some offense late to edge out the Hawks. Greene falls to 1-1; he allowed eight hits and five runs in four and two-thirds innings, while walking four and striking out five.

The Hawks tied the first game, 4-4, after the fifth inning, despite some poor play in the field. A single from senior catcher Josh Gutes (Hauppauge, NY) and a triple from Kelts knocked in three runs for SUNY New Paltz, who scored four times in the inning to even the score. Four errors in the final two innings, however, allowed Oneonta to score six runs, four unearned, to steal the 11-6 victory. Glanzman and sophomore third baseman Javy Lopez (Selden, NY) joined Kelts with two hits in the contest. In the seventh, Kelts added a RBI double and Glanzman recorded the Hawks’ other RBI with a single. Junior pitcher Greg Campo (Staten Island, NY) went six and a third innings allowing ten hits, five runs, three earned, while walking two and striking out six in the loss. Junior pitcher Don Lawrence (Norwich, NY) picked up his first win of 2006 in a relief appearance for Oneonta.

The SUNY New Paltz baseball team will travel to Vassar College for a 3:00 pm contest on Wednesday, April 5.