The SUNY Oneonta baseball team won a crucial series and kept their playoff chances alive after defeating New Paltz in a SUNYAC doubleheader, 3-2 and 13-12, Saturday afternoon. Freshman Anthony Foglia (Somers/North Salem) had the hot bat in game two and went 5-for-6 with three RBI and hit for the cycle, the first Red Dragon to do so since Craig Blowers in 2004.
Game One – Oneonta 3, New Paltz 2
Before hitting the cycle, Foglia gave Oneonta a 1-0 lead in game one with a home run to left field in the first.
The following inning, senior Patrick McGee (Mahopac/Mahopac) extended the lead to three with a two-run blast over left field.
The Hawks got on the board in the fifth inning when Leo Alvarez crossed home during a groundout.
New Paltz had the bases loaded in the sixth and trimmed the lead to one when Justin Ortiz scored on a passed ball. Senior Michael Losak (Merrick/Sanford H. Calhoun) got out of the inning without allowing the tying run to cross, and junior Logan Carriero (Somers/Somers) came in to pitch a 1-2-3 inning and picked up the save.
Foglia, McGee, and junior Sean Liquori (Thiells/North Rockland) each recorded a hit in game one. Losak received the win after pitching 6.0 innings, allowing five hits, two unearned runs, and striking out four.
Bobby Ramsey pitched the complete game for the Hawks, allowed three runs off three hits, and struck out six.
Game Two – Oneonta 13, New Paltz 12
Unlike the pitching duel in game one, the nightcap had a combined 25 runs and 33 hits.
New Paltz worked their way into a 5-1 lead through three innings, until Oneonta had a five-run fourth inning. Junior Nate Guillen (Haverstraw/North Rockland) started the inning with a single and made it to second after McGee walked. Freshman Andrew Bonilla (Walden/Valley Central) laid down a sacrifice bunt that forced a misthrow from the pitcher and scored Guillen and McGee. Sophomore Noah Frasca (St. James/St. John the Baptist) then brought Bonilla in with a triple, and one out later junior Liam Kaseta (Somers/Somers) singled to score Frasca. Kaseta crossed home after junior Anthony Gonzalez (Carmel/Carmel) hit a single through the left side.
Following the five-run Red Dragons rally, the Hawks scored five in the fifth and gave themselves a 10-6 lead. Jordan Rios entered the batter's box with one out with the bases loaded and singled to score two. Dillon Ristano brought everyone home with a three-run home run to left field.
Oneonta cut the deficit to two in the bottom sixth. Kaseta and Foglia led the inning off with a single and double, respectively. Kaseta made it home during a Liquori groundout and Foglia touched the plate when Guillen singled.
New Paltz got the lead back to four with a pair of RBI-singles from Ristano and Michael Boccarossa, in the seventh and eighth innings.
With two outs in the eighth and McGee on first, Frasca started the late-inning rally with a single. After sophomore Bradley Turner (Stone Ridge/Rondout Valley) worked a walk to load the bases, Kaseta hit a single through the left side that scored McGee and Frasca. After Kaseta narrowed the gap to two, Foglia hit the go-ahead, no-doubt, three-run blast over right field.
Carriero received the win after pitching the final two innings, allowing one run and striking out two.
Just the Stats
Kaseta finished game two 4-for-6, with three RBI and three runs scored. After going 1-for-2 with a home run in game one, McGee went 3-for-3 with a couple runs scored in game two. Gonzalez, Guillen, and Frasca each had multiple hits in the second game and combined for four RBI.
Along with game one, Foglia ended the New Paltz series 8-for-12, seven RBI, and hit a home run in each game.
What's Next
The Red Dragons are back in action Wednesday as they host Mt. St. Mary College (NY) at 4 pm.