NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team (15-15) dropped a 4-2 decision to William Paterson University (22-11) on Tuesday in its final home game of the season at Loren Campbell Memorial Field.
 
The visiting Pioneers took the lead in the first inning and never looked back en route to Tuesday's win. Shortstop Rich Guillod brought in right fielder AJ Flores on a sacrifice fly to center to kick off the afternoon's scoring. William Paterson picked up another run in the second on first baseman Anthony DeEsposito's RBI double down the left field line to take a 2-0 lead.
 
The Hawks got one back in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit in half. With the bases loaded, sophomore right fielder Richard Guido (Ulster Park, N.Y./Kingston) walked to bring in the first New Paltz run of the game. The Hawks were unable to capitalize again with the bases loaded and left the inning down a run.
 
The Pioneers scored for the third straight inning in the third frame, as third baseman Mike Arnold brought in designated hitter Vin Fondacaro on the second sacrifice fly of the game for William Paterson. Neither team was able to score again until the eighth inning when the Pioneers picked up yet another run off a sacrifice fly, this time off the bat of DeEsposito, to take a late 4-1 lead.
 
The Hawks got a rally going in the ninth, but the late effort fell short of tying the game. Junior pitcher Andrew Grann (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) came up as the fourth pinch hitter of the inning for the Hawks for just his third at bat of the season. With runners on the corners, Grann singled up the middle to plate freshman third baseman Andrew DiNardo (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) and cut the deficit to two, but the Hawk rally ended there and the game went final at 4-2.
 
William Paterson starter Tom Gaccione picked up the win, tossing 5 innings and allowing just one run on four hits. Freshman starting pitcher Christian Huertas (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) shouldered the loss after allowing two runs in two innings in his first start of the season.
 
Senior third baseman Matt Prescia (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) went 2-for-3 on the afternoon, while Guido and Grann each picked up an RBI for the Hawks. Arnold went 1-for-1 for the Pioneers with a run, RBI and two walks, while DeEsposito batted 1-for-3 with two RBI.
 
The Hawks play again tomorrow, April 24, in a makeup game against SUNY Oneonta in Amsterdam, N.Y. for their final State University of New York Athletic Conference contest of the regular season. First pitch is slated for 7:30 p.m. under the lights at Shuttleworth Park.