FORT MYERS, Fla. – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team (8-4) extended its winning streak to five games on Saturday at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic, besting St. Lawrence University, 7-5, before edging Knox College, 12-9, in the nightcap. In the St. Lawrence game, junior pitcher Chris Chismar (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) set the program's career strikeout record in the second inning.

Chismar entered Saturday needing just one strikeout to stand alone on the program's career chart for the statistical category, as he was tied with Jimmy Donahue (2006-09) with 161. He fanned seven batters in seven innings of work, scattering seven hits while keeping the Saints off the scoreboard. Chismar was credited with the win and upped his career strikeout total to 168.

Sophomore Chris Pyz (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park), who had a save in each game, came through in the ninth against St. Lawrence, preserving the Hawks' lead.

Offensively for New Paltz against the Saints, junior Matt Carr (Westbury, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) led the way with a 3-for-5 performance that included a double and a run scored. Senior Paul Merola (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y./Cornwall) fared well with runners in scoring position, driving home three runs with a 2-for-4 outing. In addition, senior Jake Cameron (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) and sophomores David Lostaglio (Milton, N.Y./Marlboro Central) and Jimmy Briggs (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) all went 2-for-5. Cameron had a run scored, Lostaglio had an RBI and a run scored and Briggs had two RBI and a run scored.

Knox put a scare in the Hawks, nearly taking the nightcap. Junior Michael Pinnola (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) was given the start and lasted just 1 1/3 innings, giving up four walks, two hit-by-pitches and four earned runs to go along with one strikeout. Freshman Mike Sparacino (Commack, N.Y./Commack) held serve in relief duty—working four innings—before Pyz once again came in to finish the contest. This time, Pyz threw both the eighth and ninth innings.

Cameron keyed the Hawk attack in game two with a 3-for-4 performance, drawing a walk and scoring three times. Junior Matt Kaldon (Montgomery, N.Y./Valley Central) went 1-for-2 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch and three runs scored, while junior Steven Morse (East Northport, N.Y./Commack) batted 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore Anthony Repetto (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) also factored into the lineup's production, going 4-for-5 with three RBI.

New Paltz continues play at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic tomorrow, playing just one nine-inning game against Colby College at 2 p.m.