FISHKILL, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team (3-7) dropped both games of a doubleheader against Mount Saint Mary College (3-3) on Monday at Dutchess Stadium in the make-up games from Friday and Sunday's weather postponed contests.
 
The Knights scored an unearned run after a throwing error to pick up a walk-off 4-3 win in game one. With the score tied at three in the first extra inning, the Knights had runners on the corners without any outs. First baseman Michael Morelli reached base on a throwing error by the third baseman, bringing second baseman James Nakashian home from third to end the game.
 
Sophomore relief pitcher Brian Solomon (New Windsor, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) shouldered the loss in Monday's opener without allowing an earned run. Knights relief pitcher Silverio Santiago earned the win after tossing three scoreless innings in relief.
 
The Knights opened the scoring with left fielder Vinnie Carminati's RBI single in the third, but the Hawks rallied to take the lead with a three-run fifth. Senior center fielder Matt Carr (Westbury, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) singled to knock in a run, but an error by the center fielder allowed another run to score and Carr to advance to third. Carr then scored on a balk to add the Hawks' third run.
 
Mount Saint Mary answered in the home half of the fifth, tying the game on an RBI groundout by Nakashian followed by another RBI single by Carminati, eventually forcing extra innings.
 
Junior starting pitcher Chris Pyz (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) threw seven innings in his first start of the season, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out four. Logan Kurtz pitched five innings for Mount Saint Mary, yielding three runs on six Hawk hits. Neither starter earned a decision.
 
Carr led the Hawks with a full stat sheet, going 1-for-3 with a run, RBI and stolen base. Carminati went 3-for-4 for the Knights, knocking in a pair of runs and swiping a pair of bases.
 
The nightcap saw Mount Saint Mary jump out to an early lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first. Morelli singled in shortstop Michael Matuk to get on the board first with one away. Third baseman Preston Zanon followed with a sacrifice fly to push the Knight lead to two runs before the Hawks' first at bat.
 
New Paltz picked up its first run on freshman second baseman Matt Dixon's (Centereach, N.Y./Centereach) RBI groundout in the second, but the Knights pushed the lead up to five in the next inning on Morelli's grand slam to go up 6-1.
 
The Hawks put up a four spot of their own in the bottom of the third in an inning that saw five Hawk hits, a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to a single run.
 
Mount Saint Mary added another three runs in the fourth on a Carminati single and a two-RBI double by Morelli, improving his total to seven in the game. The Hawks added another run in their half of the fourth, but were unable to get themselves back into the game, falling 9-6.
 
Senior starting pitcher Michael Pinnola (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) suffered the loss in game two, allowing seven earned runs on 11 hits, striking out two in the process. Relief pitcher Marc Soevyn took the win for Mount Saint Mary after allowing one run in one inning of relief.
 
Senior catcher David Lostaglio (Milton, N.Y./Marlboro Central) went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while Carr scored twice in a 2-for-4 effort. Morelli's seven RBI led the Knights, while Carminati and Zenon knocked in the other two.
 
The Hawks return to action tomorrow, March 19, with a road contest at the College of Staten Island. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.