ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team made a two-run comeback in the top of the ninth to take home a 4-3 win over host Bard College in a non-conference tilt on Tuesday afternoon.
 
New Paltz rises to 15-9-2 overall and next plays State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) and Catskill Cup rival SUNY Oneonta in a series from Saturday-Sunday, April 16-17. The Raptors drop to 8-16 and move on to host Liberty League foe Clarkson University from Saturday-Sunday, April 16-17.
 
After leading, 2-1, for most of the game the Raptors took advantage of a New Paltz throwing error in the bottom of the eighth to score two runs to grab a 3-2 edge.
 
In the top of the ninth, junior left fielder Taylor Anderson (East New Market, Md./Cambridge-South Dorchester) was walked before senior pinch hitter Chris Baltera (Commack, N.Y./Commack) hit a single to put two New Paltz runners on base. The Hawks were able to load the bases as Anderson stole third and sophomore right fielder Nick DePietro(Carmel, N.Y./Carmel) was walked. A fielder's choice allowed Anderson to run home to level the score but a throwing error committed by Bard gave senior pinch runner Kyle Gilligan (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) the opportunity to cross home plate for the final 4-3 score.
 
Sophomore second baseman Anthony Pantano (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) capitalized on a Bard error to score New Paltz's first run in the top of the second but the Raptors rallied in the bottom of the third to tie up the score. 
 
Pantano plated a single in the top of the fourth and stole second and third before being sent home on a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Spencer Brown (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) to put the Hawks up, 2-1.
 
Three New Paltz student-athletes combined for the Hawks' four hits, with Pantano going 2-for-3 with two runs and four stolen bases. Williams and Brown each tallied an RBI for the Hawks.
 
For the Raptors, freshman first baseman Mike Pizzuto went 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI. Senior designated hitter Alec Montecalvo and junior third baseman JP Fisher both had one RBI while junior left fielder/right fielder Adam Carafotes and sophomore catcher Matt Lasky tallied one hit apiece.
 
Sophomore pitcher Brian LoRusso (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) picked up the win, becoming the pitcher of record when the Hawks took back the lead in the ninth inning. Sophomore pitcher Luke Christy (New York City, N.Y./NYC Lab High School for Collaborative Studies) allowed no runs or hits off the 11 batters he faced to earn the save.
 
Freshman pitcher Rami Masani took the loss for the Raptors, giving up two runs, one hit and walking one batter.