Justine Scutaro (Shoreham/Shoreham-Wading River) hit the game-winning RBI double to right center to give the Hawks the 6-5 victory in game one over Buffalo State in the bottom of the seventh. Scutaro blasted a grand slam in game two as New Paltz fell 8-7 in the final inning. The Hawks advance to 10-12 and 2-6 in the conference as Buffalo State stands at 10-6 and 4-2.
In the first game, Scutaro finished 4-5 at the plate, including three doubles and three RBI. Elizabeth May (Commack) went 2-4 and Melyssa Cilmi (Huntington Station/Walt Whitman) scored three runs. Alyssa Oliva (Fishkill/John Jay) earned the win on the mound as she allowed one run on four hits in three innings of work. Devon Kelly (Baldwin) threw the first four innings and allowed four runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
New Paltz trailed 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh and scored three unearned runs on three hits and two errors in the come from behind win. Rose Dovi (Cortland) doubled to center field and scored on a Bengal error. With Liz Tong (Onteora/Woodstock) on second and two outs, Cilmi reached on an error and Tong scored on the throw. May singled and advanced Cilmi to second to set the stage for Scutaro’s game winning double.
In the nightcap, Scutaro went 2-3 with four RBI and Erin Fitzpatrick (Delmar/Bethlehem Central) finished 2-3. Dovi was 2-4, Cilmi was 2-5 and Tori Kyle (Staten Island/Curtis) drove in two runs. Oliva took the loss on the mound as she allowed three runs on four hits with two strikeouts in the final two innings. Courtney Costello (Bayport/Bayport-Blue Point) allowed five runs (two earned) and seven hits in the first five innings.
New Paltz scored six runs on four hits with one error in the bottom of the second for a 6-3 lead. With runners on second and third with two outs Kyle singled to advance all runners and score two runs on an error by the Buffalo State shortstop. Cilmi singled and May walked to load the bases en route to Scutaro’s grand slam.
Buffalo State tallied two runs on two hits and one error in the fifth to cut the led to one run. The Hawks added one run to the lead in the sixth inning when May scored on a throwing error by the catcher. The Bengals rallied for three runs on three hits with one error in the top of the seventh. With bases loaded and one out, Buffalo State hit a two-run RBI double, followed by a sacrifice fly to left field for the game winning run.
The Hawks return to action on Sunday when they host Fredonia at 12pm.
