SAUGERTIES, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team surrendered a three-run lead after the seventh inning to visiting Union College (N.Y.) on Tuesday night, falling to the Dutchmen 9-7 at Cantine Park.
 
With the defeat, the Hawks drop to 4-16 overall and will host SUNY Oneonta tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) contest. The Dutchmen improve to 12-8 and host The College at Brockport on Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m.
 
Overall, the Hawks managed 11 hits on the evening but left 16 runners on base and were plagued by four errors. New Paltz was leading 6-3 entering the sixth inning when the lights at the stadium turned off at 10 p.m., causing a 15-minute delay. Following the unexpected intermission, the Dutchmen took advantage of several miscues by New Paltz and came away with the win.
 
Four players finished with two hits for the Hawks with sophomore first baseman Anthony Diana (North Amawalk, N.Y./Somers), senior third baseman Mike Sparacino (Commack, N.Y./Commack), senior designated hitter Shaun Hansen (Southold, N.Y./Greenport) and freshman outfielder Chris Moran (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) contributing to the offense. Diana scored a game-high three runs while Hansen drove in two.
 
Freshman right-hander Conor Donachie (Garden City, N.Y./Chaminade) earned the starting nod and tossed three innings, giving up just one earned run and fanning five Dutchmen. Sophomore lefty Brett Wisner (Forest Hills, N.Y./Forest Hills) was solid in relief, going three scoreless innings and scattering two hits. Junior Andrew DiNardo(Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay-East Fishkill) threw a scoreless ninth frame in his appearance.
 
For Union, left fielder Eric Egan ripped a game-high three hits and drove in two runs. Leadoff hitter Zach Twitchell drove in two runs as well.
 
In the first, New Paltz jumped out to an early lead off a Diana double to left center to score DiNardo. However, Union plated three runs in the second to go ahead 3-1.
 
From that point, though, the Hawks gained momentum and scored five runs to take a 6-3 edge. Hansen ripped a run-scoring single to right center in the third, Moran cracked an RBI single through the left side in the fifth, DiNardo lofted a sacrifice fly to left in the sixth followed by an RBI double to left center by Hansen to give New Paltz a two-run lead.
 
The rally was capped off by an unearned run when freshman Jake Williams (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) reached base on a fielding error by the Union third baseman to score Moran.
 
But the eighth inning was in favor of Union as the Dutchmen plated six unearned runs - scoring four runs with two outs - to hand New Paltz a 9-6 deficit.
 
The Hawks looked to come back in the bottom of the eighth as Sparacino reached on an infield hit, senior Stanley DeLaCruz (Bronx, N.Y./High School of International Business and Finance) singled through the left side and Moran walked to load the bases. Freshman pinch hitter Ryan Bowser (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) then drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs to cut into the Union lead, 9-7.