WEST HARRISON, N.Y. – Fueled by sophomore pitcher Andrew Grann's (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) complete-game outing in the first contest of the afternoon, the State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team (3-2) bested SUNY Purchase (4-6) by scores of 7-2 and 13-8 on Saturday in a non-conference doubleheader held at Silver Lake Park. Both games were scheduled for seven innings.

Grann bounced back from a rough start in his previous appearance against ninth-ranked Salisbury University on Feb. 25, lasting seven innings and striking out seven against Purchase in the front end of the twinbill. He yielded just two runs off five hits, two walks and two hit-by-pitches. With the win, his record levels at 1-1 for the year.

Purchase's Chris Carboni was tagged with the loss, giving up four runs—two of which were earned—off seven hits and three walks while striking out five. Two relievers combined to surrender three earned runs in the top of the seventh.

Both teams were scoreless through two innings in game one before the Hawks pushed across two in the third. A single by senior first baseman Jake Cameron (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) plated junior center fielder Matt Carr (Westbury, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran), and senior shortstop Paul Merola (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y./Cornwall) also scored in that same sequence, as an error by the left fielder allowed him to cross to give the Hawks an early 2-0 lead.

The Panthers struck for a pair of runs in the home half of the fifth, as Michael Sarni and Leo Francisco drove in Colin Morris and Phil Georges, respectively. One error helped New Paltz put two more runs on the board in the sixth, as Cameron and junior catcher Matt Kaldon (Montgomery, N.Y./Valley Central) each scored in the inning. The Hawks blew the game open in the top of the seventh, as junior third baseman Matt Prescia (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) scored off a triple by junior right fielder Thomas Pinnola (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon), and sophomore designated hitter Jimmy Briggs (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) whacked a two-run double just two at-bats later.

The Hawk attack was paced by Briggs in game one, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Kaldon batted 1-for-2 with two runs scored, while Cameron went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. For Purchase, Sarni led the way with a 3-for-4 performance at the dish with an RBI.

New Paltz scored the first seven runs of game two, which set the stage for a second victory. The Hawks pounded out 17 hits, and four different players had multi-hit outings.

Two Panther errors in the top of the first helped the Hawks plate three runs, and T. Pinnola and sophomore catcher David Lostaglio (Milton, N.Y./Marlboro Central) each drove in a run in the third to put New Paltz up by five. Another pair of runs crossed the plate for New Paltz in the fourth, as Carr boasted an RBI double in the second at-bat of the inning before Cameron also plated a run by means of a double later on in the frame. Purchase finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth, as Josh Spielberg blasted a solo home run and Sarni drove in Jay Ruiz.

The Hawks continued to pile on runs, as senior second baseman Chris Paulicelli (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) pushed across two with a single in the fifth. New Paltz then scored three in the sixth and one in the seventh to take a 13-2 lead into the home half of the seventh. The Panther bats came alive with the game on the line, though, as they scored six runs off five hits and three walks before senior pitcher Timmy Chelius (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) finally got out of the inning with a fly out to right field.

Junior pitcher Michael Pinnola (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) picked up the win to move to 1-0 on the year, going five full innings. He yielded just two runs off two hits, six walks and a hit-by-pitch while fanning four batters. Freshman pitcher Roy Missall (Hemlock, N.Y./Honeoye Central) retired the side in order in the sixth with two strikeouts, while Chelius tossed the seventh inning. Chelius's line ended up including six runs—five of which were earned—off five hits and three walks with two strikeouts in one inning of work.

For Purchase, Eric Cuadrado absorbed the loss, giving up six runs—five of which were earned—off seven hits and three walks. The Panther bullpen combined to scatter 10 hits and allow seven runs across the final four innings.

Carr ignited the Hawk offense with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate, recording one run and one RBI. Cameron (2-for-3, two runs, two RBI) and Briggs (3-for-3, three RBI, one run) each collected a pair of doubles, while Lostaglio batted 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Francisco was the lone Panther to have a multi-hit game—going 2-for-2 with a run scored—while Will Bernstein drove in three runs off a bases-clearing double in the seventh.

New Paltz returns to the diamond tomorrow, taking on The College at Old Westbury in a non-conference doubleheader at Old Westbury. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.