New Paltz Baseball Falls at Brockport 4-2 on Friday; Clinches Playoff Berth

Box Score 

BROCKPORT, N.Y. – Junior third baseman Jake Williams (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) finished 3-for-4 in Friday's SUNYAC game at Brockport but the baseball program at the State University of New York at New Paltz fell 4-2 to the host Golden Eagles.

Despite losing, the Hawks clinched the program's first SUNYAC playoff berth since 2013 by virtue of Oneonta's 12-2 defeat at Oswego on Friday. Even if both New Paltz and Oneonta finish at 7-11 SUNYAC, the Hawks hold the 2-1 series cushion this year.

The Hawks move to 16-15 overall, 7-9 SUNYAC and will face Brockport in a doubleheader tomorrow, starting at noon with SUNYAC playoff seeding still up for grabs.

New Paltz finished with eight hits as the one through five spots combined to go 7-for-19 with both runs and one RBI.

In the top of the first, the Hawks got off to a fast start as junior Dwayne Page (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot) drew a leadoff walk. Junior Chris Moran (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River), sophomore Justin Ganca (Merrick, N.Y./Bellmore John F. Kennedy) and Williams then strung together three-straight singles, with Ganca picking up an RBI.

Sophomore Danny Campbell (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) came through with an RBI fielder's choice to make the game 2-0 in favor of New Paltz.

However, Brockport answered quickly with a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame to knot the contest at 2-2.

Despite getting two runners on with one out in the top of the second, New Paltz could not break through. In the bottom of the third, the Golden Eagles capitalized on a Hawk error and went ahead 3-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, Brockport claimed a 4-2 lead on an RBI groundout. In the fifth, sophomore Ryan Frost (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) hit a one-out double to right center but was left stranded. For the game, the Hawks stranded six baserunners.

Junior righty Conor Donachie (Garden City, N.Y./Chaminade) earned the start and suffered the defeat, falling to 4-2 on the year. Donachie threw five innings, while scattering eight hits and allowing three earned runs and fanning four.

Freshman John LoCurto (Westbury, N.Y./Carle Place) and junior Jeff Sarra (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot) tossed the final three frames as the duo allowed just two hits.

As for Brockport, Austin Spindler tossed eight innings for his fourth win of the spring while Nick Jerolimov earned his sixth save of the year.