PURCHASE, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team earned its first victory of the season as the Hawks defeated Purchase College, 6-1, on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Hawks improve to 1-2-1 and next face Mount Saint Mary College in a doubleheader at Dutchess Stadium on Saturday, March 12 at 4 p.m. Purchase falls to 2-3 and moves on to host Elms College in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 12 at 1 p.m.

With sophomore right fielder Nick DePietro (Carmel, N.Y./Carmel) on first base in the top of the first, senior catcherTyler Bell (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) hit a sacrifice bunt toward third base to advance DePietro into scoring position. Purchase attempted a double play but bobbled the ball, allowing DePietro to head for home and place the Hawks on the scoreboard.
 
After a scoreless second inning, DePietro returned to the plate at the top of the third and hit a double before advancing to third base on a balk by the Purchase pitcher. Bell singled to bring in DePietro and put the Hawks up 2-0.
 
New Paltz added another run in the top of the fourth as junior left fielder Taylor Anderson (East New Market, Md./Cambridge-South Dorchester) singled to right field, allowing sophomore center fielder Jake Williams (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) to score. The Hawks built their lead to 5-0 in the top of the sixth when sophomore second basemanAnthony Pantano (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) batted in senior first baseman Chris Baltera (Commack, N.Y./Commack) on a double before securing a run of his own.
 
Purchase earned its first run in the bottom of the sixth when a single to center field sent home senior catcher Brenden LaPorte. After some slight rearrangement on the mound, the Hawks managed to close out the inning as sophomore pitcher Brian LoRusso (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) struck out senior first baseman Brian Cunningham before the New Paltz infield picked off senior left fielder Nick Kulbaba.
 
The Hawks sealed their victory in the top of the ninth as freshman shortstop Ryan Frost (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) doubled to sit in scoring position before DePietro knocked a single to right field to bring him in. 

DePietro was 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs and one RBI while Bell also went 2-for-4 and tallied an RBI. Baltera, Williams, Pantano, and Frost each recorded a run for the Hawks. Sophomore pitcher Connor Donachie (Garden City, N.Y./Chaminade) earned the win on the mound, surrendering one run in five innings while walking two batters and striking out two. 

For Purchase, LaPorte was 1-for-4 at the plate with one run while junior third baseman Patrick Rucci went 1-for-4 with one RBI. Junior pitcher Joseph Stewart took the loss, giving up three hits and three runs in three innings while walking three batters and striking out two.