Hawks sweep Lehman College; Merola catching doubles record
BRONX, NY- The SUNY New Paltz baseball team swept Lehman College Sunday afternoon, 6-5 in game one and 6-1 in game two.
In game one, Andrew Rosario led the Lightning form the plate going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Amadoernesto Guzman was 1-for-3 with one run and three RBI’s. Leonardo Hernandez was 1-for-2 with two runs scored in the loss.
Sophomore Michael Marash (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) was 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI and freshman Paul Merola (Cornwall on-Hudson, NY/Cornwall) was 2-for-4 with two runs. Junior Clinton Boettcher (Hyde Park, NY/FDR) hit his third homerun of the year and finished 1-for-2 from the plate.
The Hawks took a 2-0 lead in the third on senior Tyler Terlecky (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton) two-run double that scored Paul Merola and Chris Paulicelli (Lindenhurst, NY/Lindenhurst). The Lightning would tie the game in the bottom half of the inning on RBI singles by Andrew Rosario and William Rivera.
Clinton Boettcher would lead the fourth inning of with a solo homerun, third of the year, to give the Hawks the lead back. In the fifth, Paul Merola hit his 17th double of the year and stole third. Paul Merola would score on Tyler Terlecky’s RBI groundout to give the Hawks a 4-1 advantage.
Michael Marash would increase the lead to 5-1 on his RBI triple that scored freshman Alex Donatelli (Port Washington, NY/Port Washington), who led the inning off with a single. Michael Marash would score on freshman’s Mike Sherlock (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) RBI single and the Hawks led 6-1. Lehman would get one back in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI double by Emmanuel Vera that scored Amadoernesto Guzman from first.
The lightning would score two in the bottom of the seventh on RBI doubles by Andrew Rosario and Amadoernesto Guzman. Brett Harrison struck out the last batter to end the threat and the game.
Brian Cubero took the loss on the mound allowing six runs, all earned, on eight hits and striking out three in the complete game.
Sophomore Brett Harrison (Merrick, NY/Bellmore JFK) pitched the complete game for the win on the mound. He allowed five runs, all earned, on five hits and striking out a career high 13 batters and fanned the side three times including the last two innings.
In the nightcap, Paul Merola scored on Clinton Boettcher groundball to Andrew Rosario that he threw away. Senior Devin Scalabrini (Peekskill, NY/Mahopac) gave the Hawks a 2-0 advantage on his first sacrifice fly of the year that scored Chris Paulicelli, who led the inning off with a single. Lehman would cut the lead in half on Amadoernesto Guzman RBI single.
Mike Sherlock would give the Hawks the two-run lead back with an RBI single that scored Michael Marash in the fourth. The Hawks would scored three in the top of the fifth on freshman Philip Parker’s (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) two-run single. Parker would score after stealing second and two errors on the play by the Lightning.
Francisco Sanchez recorded the loss on the mound allowing six runs, four earned, on seven hits and striking out five in five innings of work. Jason Caraballo pitched the final two innings for the Lightning and struck out two and walking one.
Junior John Giuliano (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) picked up his first win of the season allowing one run, one earned, on five hits and striking out a career high seven batters in five innings of work. Sophomore Eric Holzapple (Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) pitched a perfect two innings in relief while striking out two.
The Hawks improve to 11-24 overall and finish the regular season Wednesday against Braircliffe at 4 p.m. on the campus of Briarcliffe.