NEW PALTZ, NY- The SUNY New Paltz baseball team hosted the Bearcats from Baruch on Loren Campbell Field Friday afternoon. The Hawks defeated the Bearcats, 10-4, Friday afternoon to win their third straight and five of the last six.
The Hawks were led by freshman Zach Homerda (Elmira, NY/Elmira Notre Dame) who was 3-for-5 with one run from the plate and freshman Matt O’Neill (West Chester, PA/Henderson High) was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI’s. Freshman Chris Paulicelli (Lindenhurst, NY/Lindenhurst) was 2-for-5 with two RBI’s and freshman Mike Sherlock (Liverpool, NY/Cicero North Syracuse) scored three times in the victory.
Ben Riofrio was 2-for-2 with two runs and Jorge Rosado was 2-for-4 with two RBI’s to lead the Bearcats. The Bearcats left five on base and were unable to put together hits to score runs.
The Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as freshman Paul Merola (Cornwall on-Hudson, NY/Cornwall) had a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Sherlock scored on a balk call and Michael Marash (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) moved to third on the play. Marash would score on the next pitch as O’Neill took the pitch into right field for a RBI single.
Baruch would tie the game in the top of the third with a delay steal and a RBI single by Jorge Rosado. The Hawks would score one in the bottom of the fourth and Baruch answered by scoring in the fifth to keep the game tied at 3-3 entering the bottom of the fifth. Sherlock led the inning off with a double followed by a sacrifice bunt by Marash to move Sherlock to third. Sherlock would score on Merola’s sacrifice fly to right field to take the lead 4-3. New Paltz would add two move runs on a O’Neill RBI double and Paulicelli RBI single to take a 6-3 advantage.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Hawks opened the game up scoring four runs to take the 10-3 lead. Tyler Terlecky (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton) and Paulicelli each added a RBI single for the Hawks.
Baruch starting pitcher Ryan McGuire recorded the loss on the mound allowing 11 hits and ten runs (7 ER) and striking out two in five and two third innings. David Gega finished the game on the mound allowing one hits and walking two over the last two and a third innings. McGuire falls to 1-2 on the season and with the loss Baruch falls to 12-7 overall and 6-0 in the CUNYAC.
Senior pitcher Jonathan Shanks (Millbrook, NY/Millbrook) won his first game of the season, allowing four runs (3 ER), striking out seven and scattering nine hits in the complete game victory. The Hawks improve to 7-15 overall and 2-4 in the SUNYAC.
The Hawks return to the field tomorrow against St. Joe’s (LI) on Loren Campbell Field at 1 p.m. on the campus of SUNY New Paltz.
