NEW PALTZ, N.Y. - New Paltz rallied from 4-0 and 6-4 deficits as the Hawks defeated nationally sixth-ranked Cortland, 8-6, to salvage the third game of a three-game weekend series with the visiting Red Dragons.
Cortland (28-7, 13-2 SUNYAC) had its 20-game winning streak snapped with the loss. The Red Dragons will enter next weekend's final SUNYAC regular-season series at Oswego a game ahead of the Lakers (12-3 SUNYAC) in the league standings. Whichever team is able to win at least 2-of-3 games will claim the top seed and hosting rights for the SUNYAC postseason tournament.
Ryan Votypka earned the win in relief for New Paltz (14-14, 7-7 SUNYAC), which is currently in fourth place in the league, two games ahead of Fredonia and Oneonta. The four teams qualify for the conference tournament. Votypka, now 2-1, allowed four hits and one run with four strikeouts and one walk in four innings. Conor Donachie started and gave up five runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk in five innings.
Cortland starter Jake Casey (Homer) received a no-decision after allowing four runs in four and two thirds innings. He gave up six hits and a walk and struck out four batters. Frank Vesuvio (Armonk/Byram Hills), the third of four Red Dragon relievers, took the loss as he was charged with the run that gave New Paltz the lead for good in the Hawks' three-run seventh.
Cortland led 4-0 after three and a half innings. Patrick Schetter (Beacon) singled home a run in the top of the first, and Justin Teague (North Syracuse/Cicero-North Syracuse) and Schetter hit back-to-back RBI singles in the third. Marcos Perivolaris (Mattituck) hit his second home run of the season with two outs in the top of the fourth.
New Paltz got back two runs in the bottom of the fourth on a Jake Williams double and Chris Moran two-run homer. The Hawks tied the game in the fifth when Williams and Moran hit back-to-back RBI singles.
In the top of the sixth, Matt Michalski (Buffalo/St. Francis) was hit by a pitch, stole second and went to third on an error during the steal. He scored later in the inning on a Perivolaris RBI single. Perivolaris eventually scored as well when Colin BeVard (Syracuse/West Genesee) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Cortland led 6-4.
A wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth brought in a run to pull New Paltz within 6-5. In the seventh, Dwayne Page walked and took second on a wild pitch, but was thrown out at third on an attempted sac bunt. A wild pitch, an intentional walk to Moran, and a balk put runners on second and third, and Nick DePietro walked to load the bases. Pinch hitter Julian Francisco was hit by a pitch to force in the tying run, and a passed ball on a strikeout allowed the go-ahead run to score. Danny Campbell followed with an RBI single to give New Paltz an 8-6 lead.
Cortland threatened in the top of the eighth. Billy Kozak (Sidney) and Antonio Pragana (Hopewell Junction/John Jay) led off the frame with singles and BeVard bunted them to second and third. Votypka, however, struck out the next two hitters to end the inning, and he retired the side in order in the ninth.
Moran finished 2-for-4 with a walk, three RBI and two runs, while Williams and Ryan Frost each went 2-for-3, for New Paltz. Pragana was 3-for-4 with a run, Perivolaris ended 2-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and two runs, and Schetter was 2-for-5 for the Red Dragons.
Cortland will play a non-league game at Hamilton College Monday at 4:15 p.m.