Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Strong pitching and defense ruled the day for the State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team on Saturday, as the Hawks swept a Ripken Experience doubleheader against Grove City College. New Paltz won game one, 3-2, before taking the back end of the twinbill, 2-1.
New Paltz rises to 4-3 overall with the wins and continues action at the Ripken Experience tomorrow, facing the Catholic University of America at 1 p.m. before squaring off with Albertus Magnus College at 7 p.m. Grove City drops to 2-5 overall and visits La Roche College on Saturday, March 15, for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
New Paltz 2, Grove City 1
Game one ended in dramatic fashion, as sophomore center fielder Tom Dieckhoff (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) threw out the potential game-tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh to end the game. New Paltz got two quick outs in the seventh, with Grove City's leadoff batter grounding out to second and its next hitter striking out. Freshman Kyle Witzberger pinch hit and banged out a single before reaching second on a wild pitch. Freshman shortstop David Laylock singled, and Witzberger rounded third, heading for home. Dieckhoff muscled out a throw straight to sophomore catcher Tyler Bell (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) from the outfield, and Bell applied the tag to record the final out.
Grove City scored the first two runs of the game, as freshman first baseman Matt Waugaman plated freshman center fielder Jimmy Palmer with an RBI double in the first inning before senior second baseman John Rende pushed across Laylock with an RBI groundout in the second.
New Paltz got on the board in the fourth, as senior second baseman Steven Morse (East Northport, N.Y./Commack) grounded into an RBI fielder's choice. Junior right fielder Richard Guido (Ulster Park, N.Y./Kingston) came across on a passed ball in the fifth to tie the game, while sophomore third baseman Andrew DiNardo (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) scored the go-ahead run on an error with two outs in the sixth.
Freshman pitcher Kyle Krebs (Commack, N.Y./Commack) earned the win, going five innings. He scattered five hits and allowed two runs while striking out six. Junior pitcher Roy Missall (Hemlock, N.Y./Honeoye Central) was credited with the save, as he tossed two scoreless innings of relief while allowing just two hits.
Junior pitcher Mason Stephens shouldered the loss for Grove City, giving up three runs (one earned) off six hits while striking out four. Freshman pitcher Andrew Taylor permitted three hits in one inning of relief duty.
DiNardo keyed the Hawk attack with a 3-for-4 performance that included one run scored. Guido batted 2-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored to contribute to the team's offense as well.
Laylock led the Wolverines with a 2-for-3 outing at the plate that included a double and one run scored.
New Paltz 3, Grove City 2
Offense came at a premium again in the nightcap, and while Grove City edged New Paltz in hits (6-3), the Hawks got all the offense they needed in the first inning and held on to earn the doubleheader sweep.
With the bases loaded in the first with no outs, junior first baseman Shaun Hansen (Southold, N.Y./Greenport) grounded into a double play, but senior second baseman/left fielder/third baseman Kenny Gentile (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) came around to score to account for the game's first run. During the ensuing at-bat, freshman third baseman Anthony Diana (North Amawalk, N.Y./Somers) scored on a passed ball to put New Paltz ahead, 2-0.
Grove City's lone run of game two came in the third, as sophomore left fielder Kenny McCracken drove in a run with the bases loaded by means of a sacrifice fly. Even though the Wolverines had runners on second and third after a wild pitch, New Paltz induced a fly out to left field to end the inning. Grove City could not muster a rally in the late innings despite a strong outing by its pitching staff.
Senior pitcher Chris Pyz (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) went the distance for the Hawks on the mound to earn the win, lasting a full seven innings. He gave up just one run on six hits while striking out four.
Grove City's freshman pitcher Ben Finlan suffered the loss, giving up two runs (one earned) off three hits and two walks while striking out four.
New Paltz's No. 1 and No. 2 hitters accounted for its entire offensive production, as Gentile went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Diana batted 1-for-2 with a run scored. Gentile also finished with two stolen bases.
Palmer had a standout game offensively for Grove City, batting 3-for-4 with a double.
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Strong pitching and defense ruled the day for the State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team on Saturday, as the Hawks swept a Ripken Experience doubleheader against Grove City College. New Paltz won game one, 3-2, before taking the back end of the twinbill, 2-1.
New Paltz rises to 4-3 overall with the wins and continues action at the Ripken Experience tomorrow, facing the Catholic University of America at 1 p.m. before squaring off with Albertus Magnus College at 7 p.m. Grove City drops to 2-5 overall and visits La Roche College on Saturday, March 15, for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
New Paltz 2, Grove City 1
Game one ended in dramatic fashion, as sophomore center fielder Tom Dieckhoff (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) threw out the potential game-tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh to end the game. New Paltz got two quick outs in the seventh, with Grove City's leadoff batter grounding out to second and its next hitter striking out. Freshman Kyle Witzberger pinch hit and banged out a single before reaching second on a wild pitch. Freshman shortstop David Laylock singled, and Witzberger rounded third, heading for home. Dieckhoff muscled out a throw straight to sophomore catcher Tyler Bell (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) from the outfield, and Bell applied the tag to record the final out.
Grove City scored the first two runs of the game, as freshman first baseman Matt Waugaman plated freshman center fielder Jimmy Palmer with an RBI double in the first inning before senior second baseman John Rende pushed across Laylock with an RBI groundout in the second.
New Paltz got on the board in the fourth, as senior second baseman Steven Morse (East Northport, N.Y./Commack) grounded into an RBI fielder's choice. Junior right fielder Richard Guido (Ulster Park, N.Y./Kingston) came across on a passed ball in the fifth to tie the game, while sophomore third baseman Andrew DiNardo (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) scored the go-ahead run on an error with two outs in the sixth.
Freshman pitcher Kyle Krebs (Commack, N.Y./Commack) earned the win, going five innings. He scattered five hits and allowed two runs while striking out six. Junior pitcher Roy Missall (Hemlock, N.Y./Honeoye Central) was credited with the save, as he tossed two scoreless innings of relief while allowing just two hits.
Junior pitcher Mason Stephens shouldered the loss for Grove City, giving up three runs (one earned) off six hits while striking out four. Freshman pitcher Andrew Taylor permitted three hits in one inning of relief duty.
DiNardo keyed the Hawk attack with a 3-for-4 performance that included one run scored. Guido batted 2-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored to contribute to the team's offense as well.
Laylock led the Wolverines with a 2-for-3 outing at the plate that included a double and one run scored.
New Paltz 3, Grove City 2
Offense came at a premium again in the nightcap, and while Grove City edged New Paltz in hits (6-3), the Hawks got all the offense they needed in the first inning and held on to earn the doubleheader sweep.
With the bases loaded in the first with no outs, junior first baseman Shaun Hansen (Southold, N.Y./Greenport) grounded into a double play, but senior second baseman/left fielder/third baseman Kenny Gentile (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) came around to score to account for the game's first run. During the ensuing at-bat, freshman third baseman Anthony Diana (North Amawalk, N.Y./Somers) scored on a passed ball to put New Paltz ahead, 2-0.
Grove City's lone run of game two came in the third, as sophomore left fielder Kenny McCracken drove in a run with the bases loaded by means of a sacrifice fly. Even though the Wolverines had runners on second and third after a wild pitch, New Paltz induced a fly out to left field to end the inning. Grove City could not muster a rally in the late innings despite a strong outing by its pitching staff.
Senior pitcher Chris Pyz (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) went the distance for the Hawks on the mound to earn the win, lasting a full seven innings. He gave up just one run on six hits while striking out four.
Grove City's freshman pitcher Ben Finlan suffered the loss, giving up two runs (one earned) off three hits and two walks while striking out four.
New Paltz's No. 1 and No. 2 hitters accounted for its entire offensive production, as Gentile went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Diana batted 1-for-2 with a run scored. Gentile also finished with two stolen bases.
Palmer had a standout game offensively for Grove City, batting 3-for-4 with a double.