HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. – After rallying to tie the game at three in the top of the eighth inning, the State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team (1-2) allowed the eventual winning run in the bottom half of the inning to fall, 4-3, to non-conference Rutgers University-Camden, in their final contest of the Ty Cobb Classic on Sunday.
 
Sophomore relief pitcher Brian Solomon (New Windsor, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) suffered the loss after allowing the winning run on a blooper to left that turned into a double, scoring a runner from second. Solomon tossed two innings, allowing one run on one hit while striking out four in relief.
 
Rutgers-Camden reliever John Waters earned the win in Sunday's contest, allowing one unearned run and striking out three in 2.2 innings of relief.
 
The Hawks kicked off the scoring in the top of the first after senior center fielder Matt Carr (Westbury, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) walked and moved up to third on a pair of errors. Carr scored an unearned run on senior third baseman Matt Prescia's (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) groundout to short to give the Hawks the early 1-0 advantage.
 
Rutgers-Camden stormed right back, tying the game in the home half of the first on right fielder Adrian Gonzalez's RBI double. He then came around to score as first baseman Dave Prager reached first on an error. Prager eventually scored as well on third baseman John Santilli's RBI double to give Rutgers-Camden a 3-1 lead after one full inning.
 
The Hawks cut the deficit in half in the third when Carr scored on another groundout to short, this time by senior first baseman Thomas Pinnola (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon).
 
Neither starting pitcher allowed a run for the rest of their outings. Waters entered the game for Rutgers-Camden in the top of the seventh, eventually allowing an unearned run in the top of the eighth, which tied the game for the Hawks. An error by Waters allowed junior shortstop Steven Morse (East Northport, N.Y./Commack) to reach base and advance all the way to third, scoring Prescia in the process. The game did not stay tied for long, as shortstop Joe Sigismondi doubled in catcher Nicco Esgro on a bloop hit to left to take the lead.
 
Senior starting pitcher Michael Pinnola (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) did not receive a decision in his first outing of the season. He went six innings, allowing one earned run (three total) on seven hits while striking out four. Paul Walters went 6.1 innings for Rutgers-Camden, also allowing one earned run (two total) on three hits and striking out two batters.
 
Carr went 0-for-3, but walked and scored twice while also swiping his first bag of the season. Prescia also went 0-for-3, but picked up an RBI and scored a run in Sunday's loss.
 
Gonzalez led Rutgers-Camden, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Prager and left fielder Bruce Monro also scored runs for Rutgers-Camden, while Santilli and Sigismondi batted in the other two runs.
 
The Hawks travel to Salisbury, Md. next weekend for a March 2-3 series with current No. 9 ranked Salisbury University. Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m.