Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 New Paltz, NY – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team completed their sweep of Plattsburgh State with a 4-2 and a 17-10 victory Saturday, April 14 at Loren Campbell Memorial Field. The Hawks exploded offensively in the doubleheader with 26 hits in 14 innings of plate appearances and four total home runs.
 
GAME 1
The opening game got off to a shaky start for junior right-handed pitcher Michael Delio and the Hawks after giving up a run in the opening frame. However, the offense answered back in the bottom half. Reigning SUNYAC Baseball Player of the Week Jake Williams stepped up to the plate with two outs and crushed a home run to right field. After evening up the score, Delio and the SUNY New Paltz defense settled in and took command of the game.
 
In the bottom of the second, the Hawks continued to pressure the Cardinals defense. Senior outfielder Brian Brenton stayed hot from yesterday and came up with a two RBI double down the left field line to give SUNY New Paltz a 3-1 advantage.
 
Delio maintained the lead without giving up another earned run the rest of the game. However, an error in the fifth inning allowed a run to cross the plate and cut the game to a one-run lead. A key goal for the Hawks offense this season has been to answer back after giving up a run and they did it for the second time in the game with a home run. This time it was senior second baseman Anthony Pantano with the blast to left center.
 
With the tying run at the plate in the top of the seventh, head coach Arlan Freeman turned to Ryan Votypka to shut the door. After giving up a walk to the first batter, Votypka retired the last two batters to strand two runners on base and seal the 4-2 win.
 
After a four RBI performance the day before, Brenton added a team-high two RBIs in the opening game. Williams and Pantano also chipped in solid days at the plate each going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Delio got his second straight SUNYAC win with 6.1 innings pitched while Votypka picked up his first save of the season.
 
"I've been feeling great," said Delio. "I changed a lot of stuff in the offseason and put a lot of work into it so I'm happy to start seeing the results."
 
GAME 2
Looking for its first SUNYAC sweep in over two years, SUNY New Paltz came out firing to start the second game. The Hawks scored 10 runs in the first two innings behind senior first baseman Chris Moran's third home run of the series. In the explosive start to the game Williams, Brenton, Julian Francisco, Dwayne Page, and Danny Campbell all contributed at least one RBI.
 
Although the 10-1 lead seemed safe, the Cardinals weren't going to back down. Entering the seventh inning trailing 11-3, Plattsburgh State put together a six-run rally to make it a two score game. As usual the Hawks answered back, but the big hit came from an unexpected source. With runners on second and third with one out, the Cardinals chose to intentionally walk Moran and face backup sophomore catcher Reid Oreste. Oreste made them pay the price for loading up the bases intentionally and crushed a two RBI double over the left fielders head. The clutch hit added key insurance runs for SUNY New Paltz and the lead expanded to 14-9.
 
Freeman turned to junior right-handed pitcher Justin Stybel to close out the game and in the top of the eighth he struck out two and forced an infield pop-up to end the inning. The Hawks were still hungry on offense and in the bottom of the eighth, sophomore Zach Warenius hit a bomb over the left field fence for the fourth home run of the day.
 
It was an offensive explosion for SUNY New Paltz and all-around team effort. 12 different batters recorded a hit and nine players added at least one RBI. On the mound Freeman used seven pitchers to help seal the win.
 
"I was proud of the way we scored," said Freeman. "We answered their runs most of the time and when we did answer we did it with a pretty big punch. Reid Oreste came up with a huge hit after they walked Moran and that was pretty cool."
 
The sweep moved the Hawks to 5-4 in the conference and 12-11 overall. "It's starting to feel really good out there," said Delio. "We are firing on all cylinders, the pitching is coming together and it's all just starting to click right now."
 
SUNY New Paltz gets back on the field Tuesday against Fredonia State for a doubleheader played at Onondaga Community College starting at 12 p.m.