CORTLAND, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team (18-21, 5-13 SUNYAC) crawled out of a 9-0 hole and put the tying run at the plate in the sixth, but No. 7 SUNY Cortland (31-7-1, 16-2 SUNYAC) enjoyed a two-run sixth and four-run seventh to come away with a 15-5 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) victory over the Hawks on Sunday afternoon at Wallace Field. It marked the final game of the 2012 for New Paltz.

Cortland scored twice in the first off RBI singles from Michael LaTempa and P.J. Rinaldi, while Matt June plated James Quinn in the second to make it a 3-0 game. Five runs came across for the Red Dragons in the third before they opened up a 9-0 lead in the fourth after an RBI base knock by Quinn.

With the deficit seemingly insurmountable, the Hawks stormed back in the sixth. Senior second baseman Chris Paulicelli (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) led off the inning with a single to right field, and senior left fielder Phil Parker (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Senior center fielder Mike Sherlock (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) loaded the bags by drawing a walk, and senior shortstop Paul Merola (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y./Cornwall) plated New Paltz's first run with a single to center field. After Cortland registered two straight strikeouts, sophomore catcher David Lostaglio (Milton, N.Y./Marlboro Central) plated Parker with an RBI single, while senior first baseman Billy Ruggiero (East Northport, N.Y./St. Anthony's) and junior right fielder Steve Pinckney (Montgomery, N.Y./Valley Central) drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks to make it a 9-4 game. Paulicelli came to the plate for the second time in the inning and pushed across Lostaglio with a bases-loaded walk, bringing the tying run to the plate. Parker ripped a hard-hit ball to the shortstop, and that ended the inning.

Cortland got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth off a June RBI single, and Kyle Barkley smoked a grand slam in the seventh to provide the eventual margin of victory.

Sophomore pitcher James McKenna (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetquot) took the loss, going 2 1/3 innings and yielding eight runs—four of which were earned—off eight hits and a hit-by-pitch while striking out one. Senior pitcher John Schmidt (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) and sophomore pitcher Chris Pyz (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) combined to give up seven runs off 11 hits, two walks and three wild pitches in 3 2/3 innings of action coming out of the bullpen, while sophomore pitcher Anthony Repetto (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) hurled two hitless and scoreless frames of relief.

Cortland used five pitchers, and Mike Hughes was credited with the victory, going five innings and allowing four runs off two hits and two walks while fanning five.

Five Hawks combined for five hits, while June's 3-for-5 performance with four RBI and a run scored headlined eight Red Dragons who had multi-hit games. In total, Cortland pounded out 19 hits as a team.

2012 marked a milestone year for sixth-year head coach Matt Griffiths, as he won his 100th career game on March 30 against The College at Brockport. His career record now stands at 105-123.