OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. – After sweeping SUNY Purchase on Saturday, the State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team (3-4) was tripped up by The College at Old Westbury (10-3) on Sunday, losing by scores of 8-7 and 6-3 in a non-conference doubleheader at Jackie Robinson Athletic Complex. Both games were scheduled for seven innings.

Old Westbury won in walk-off fashion in game one, as the Panthers scored on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the seventh. That inning proved to be the only real blemish of sophomore pitcher Chris Pyz's (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) afternoon, as he yielded just two runs—one of which was earned—in 4 1/3 innings on the mound. Pyz (1-1), who was tagged with the loss, scattered four hits while walking two and suffering three hit-by-pitches. He also struck out one. Sophomore pitcher James McKenna (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetquot) drew the start on the bump and allowed six runs off five hits, four walks and a hit-by-pitch across two innings of duty while striking out two.

For Old Westbury, starter Chris Sanabria did not earn a decision, lasting three innings. During his time on the mound, he gave up six runs—five of which were earned—off six hits and three walks while fanning two. James Roubal threw three innings of relief and permitted one unearned run, while Stephen Chapter gained the win after holding the Hawks hitless in the top of the seventh.

The Panthers had a woeful afternoon defensively, committing seven errors in game one alone. New Paltz, however, left 11 runners stranded, while the Panthers had nine hits to the Hawks' eight.

New Paltz got to work early on the attack, as senior first baseman Jake Cameron (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) ripped an RBI triple in the first. The Hawks then pushed across three runs in the second, and a single by junior third baseman Matt Prescia (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) down the right-field line made it a 4-0 game. Old Westbury got one back in the home half of the frame, though, as a John Angelino double set the stage for a Chris DeGennaro RBI single. The Panthers would capture the lead in the bottom of the third, as they pounded out back-to-back hits and drew three walks to open the inning. After Pyz came in to relieve McKenna, Old Westbury scored three more runs off back-to-back singles and a fielder's choice RBI. By the inning's end, the scoreboard read 6-4 in favor of the Panthers.

Junior center fielder Matt Carr (Westbury, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) walked to lead off the top of the fourth and proceeded to steal second, which allowed senior shortstop Paul Merola (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y./Cornwall) to bring him in with an RBI single to left field. After Prescia reached on an error by the shortstop, Cameron plated Merola with a single through the left side. That two-run inning tied the score, but in the bottom of the fourth, Old Westbury went back up by one.

Two scoreless innings culminated in an eventful seventh frame, as the Hawks loaded the bags for senior left fielder Mike Sherlock (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse), who brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to center. That play tied the score once again, this time at 7-all. After Pyz led off the inning forcing a flyout, he hit a batter, gave up a single and issued a walk, bringing Blake Barbeito to the plate. Barbeito absorbed a hit-by-pitch in that at-bat, which pushed across the game-winning run.

The Hawks were paced offensively by Merola (2-for-4, one run, one RBI), Cameron (2-for-4, two RBI, triple) and sophomore designated hitter Jimmy Briggs (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) (2-for-4, one run, double), while Sherlock found a way to drive in two runs in a hitless performance at the dish. For Old Westbury, Brian Walsh (2-for-4, two RBI), Chris DeGennaro (2-for-3, two RBI) and Steve Mare (2-for-4, one RBI) each had multi-hit outings.

Sherlock was the lone bright spot offensively for New Paltz in the nightcap, as he batted 3-for-3 with one RBI, accounting for half of the Hawks' hits. Old Westbury, meanwhile, scored six runs off six hits, and the Panthers took advantage of three New Paltz errors. Old Westbury had six different players account for its team hit total.

Junior pitcher Chris Chismar (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) fell to 0-1 on the year after lasting a full six innings, giving up six runs on six hits and four walks while striking out six. With his six strikeouts, he ties the program's career record in the statistical category (161), which Jimmy Donahue also achieved from 2006-09.

Old Westbury's Ryan Bresnahan captured the win, pushing his record to 3-0. Bresnahan allowed three runs—one of which was earned—off six hits and three walks while striking out six in six innings of service. Jonathan Costa came on in the bottom of the seventh to earn the save, retiring the side in order with one strikeout.

Neither team was able to score until Old Westbury plated two runs in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Chris DeGennaro grounded into a double play, which brought in Anthony Orsano. During the next at-bat, Angelino scored on a wild pitch, and the Panthers took a 2-0 lead. Merola helped the Hawks reach the board in the fifth, driving in senior second baseman Chris Paulicelli (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) with a groundout. Old Westbury scored another run in the fifth, with the Hawks answering in the sixth with a pair of runs. Paulicelli plated Cameron with an error by the shortstop, and Sherlock brought in junior right fielder Thomas Pinnola (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) with a single to left center. The Panthers, however, put the game out of reach in the sixth, pounding out three hits and scoring three runs.

New Paltz looks to even its record back to .500 on Tuesday, March 13, as it travels down to Staten Island to face the College of Staten Island at 4 p.m. in a non-conference, nine-inning game.