SALISBURY, Md. – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team (1-1) opened its 2012 season with a doubleheader split against No. 9 Salisbury University (4-1) on Saturday afternoon at the SU Baseball Park in non-conference action. The Hawks won, 1-0, in 11 innings in game one before falling by an 11-3 final in the nightcap. Both contests were scheduled for seven innings.

New Paltz made a statement in game one, handing the ninth-ranked Seagulls their first loss of the season. Both sides battled on the mound, as the four pitchers used in the game combined for just four hits allowed.

Junior pitcher Chris Chismar (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) got the start on the hill for the Hawks, lasting seven scoreless innings in a no decision. He scattered two hits and struck out seven, putting him within striking distance of the program's career strikeouts record. Chismar, who now has 155 strikeouts on his career, ranks second all-time behind Jimmy Donahue, who fanned 161 batters from 2006-09. Sophomore pitcher Chris Pyz (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) earned the win after pitching three hitless and scoreless innings in relief, striking out three.

Neither team was able to put many runners on base, but the Sea Gulls threatened in the seventh after Johnny Schiotis walked and stole second. Hank Adams walked to put runners on first and second with two outs, but Quinn Griffith grounded out to junior third baseman Matt Prescia (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) to end the inning.

Chismar was replaced by Pyz prior to the home half of the eighth, and Salisbury nearly ended the contest in the ninth. Pyz walked three batters in the frame, setting up a situation with the bases loaded with two outs. Griffith struck out looking, and the Hawks forced yet another extra inning.

Sophomore center fielder Anthony Repetto (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) reached base with one out in the top of the 11th off a single, and a throwing error by the first baseman following an infield ground ball by senior shortstop Paul Merola (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y./Cornwall) allowed Repetto to reach third, putting runners on the corners with one gone. Junior right fielder Thomas Pinnola (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) plated Repetto off a sacrifice fly to right field, giving New Paltz a 1-0 lead.

Salisbury got a runner on base yet again, as Tyler Bennett was hit by a pitch with one out in the bottom of the 11th. Chris Connor lined into a double play in the ensuing at-bat, however, giving the Hawks game one.

One the mound for Salisbury, Devin Gardner did not earn a decision despite holding New Paltz scoreless and yielding one hit across nine innings of work. He also posted a game-high total in strikeouts with nine. Bill Morton was tagged with the loss after giving up one unearned run on one hit in two innings of relief.

Repetto and senior second baseman Chris Paulicelli (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) were the lone New Paltz players to notch hits, while Pinnola boasted the contest's only RBI. For Salisbury, Connor and Adams each reached base by means of a base hit once.

The Sea Gulls avenged the game one setback with a decisive victory in the nightcap, as they took advantage of nine walks.

New Paltz reached the run column first, as it opened scoring after senior first baseman Jake Cameron (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) drove in junior left fielder Matt Carr (Westbury, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) with a single to center field. Salisbury touched sophomore pitcher Andrew Grann (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) up for seven runs off two hits in the home half of the first, though, blowing the game open early. From that point forward, the Hawks were never able to recover. Junior catcher Matt Kaldon (Montgomery, N.Y./Valley Central) and freshman pinch hitter Richard Guido (Ulster Park, N.Y./Kingston) each scored in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, to salvage a single-digit defeat.

Grann was charged with the loss, as he surrendered seven runs—six of which were earned—off two hits, three walks and two hit batsmen in 1/3 inning of duty. Senior pitcher John Schmidt (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) tossed two innings of relief and gave up four runs—three of which were earned—off four hits and four walks while striking out two. Freshman pitchers Roy Missall (Hemlock, N.Y./Honeoye Central) and Mike Sparacino (Commack, N.Y./Commack) made their New Paltz debuts in the final 3 2/3 innings, as they allowed just one hit between the two of them and held the Sea Gulls scoreless.

For Salisbury, Andrew Levy improved his record to 2-0 after working four innings. He gave up one unearned run off three hits and three walks while striking out two. Max Shannon, Jamie Dejter and Billy Cullen each threw one inning coming out of the Sea Gull bullpen.

Carr and Kaldon paced the Hawk attack, as each went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Bill Root (2-for-5) and Connor (2-for-3) each had multi-hit outings for Salisbury, and Connor scored three times.

The two teams will meet tomorrow in a rubber match, with game time set for 11 a.m. in Salisbury, Md.