Fredonia Last-ditch rally falls short at New Paltz

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. -- Fredonia threatened to salvage one game of its three-game weekend SUNYAC series with New Paltz, loading the bases in the top of the ninth, only to fall 4-2 in the second game of a doubleheader. The Hawks won Sunday's first game, 4-0.

Down 4-1 to start the final inning, freshman Kevin Yirinec (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) worked the count full before drawing a lead-off walk. After New Paltz changed pitchers twice, junior Alexio Medina (Alden, N.Y. / Iroqouis ) singled to left and sophomore Joshua Crocetti (Rochester, N.Y. / Hilton) singled to right to load the baees with one out.

An infield groundout by senior Kyle Sherman (North Collins, N.Y./North Collins) scored Yirinec
before Steve Zaprowski (Williamsville, N.Y. / Williamsville South) flied out to left for the final out of the weekend. The Blue Devils fell to 9-14 overall and 2-7 in the conference.

Fredonia's first run came in the top of the seventh. A lead-off single by junior Ciro Frontale (Syracuse, N.Y. / Bishop Ludden ), his second hit of the game, set the stage for a two-out single by Sherman to cut the New Paltz lead to 2-1. It was also Sherman's second hit of the game and his third on the day.

Senior right-hander Carl Wolf (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton) left with no outs and a runner on in the last of the eighth. New Paltz added two insurance runs as reliever Zach Lyman (Belmont , N.Y. / Genesee Valley) gave up a run-scoring double before balking in a run. Wolf (1-2) was charged with the loss. He allowed three earned runs and struck out six in seven innings.

Christian Huertas (3-1) was the winning pitcher while Ryan Votypka got the final two outs to earn his second save of the day.

The Blue Devils managed four hits in the first game of the doubleheader. Yirinec singled with two outs in the second and was thrown out trying to steal second. The only runner to get as far as second came after back-to-back two-out singles by Zaprowski and Sherman in the third. Senior Dan Cecilia (Utica, N.Y./Whitesboro) singled and was stranded after two were out in the fourth.

Justin Stybel (2-0) pitched the first five innings for the win and Votypka pitched the final two innings for the save. The loss went to freshman right-hander Luke Kuczewski (Hamburg, N.Y./Orchard Park), who fell to 1-2. He gave up three runs over the first three innings, including a two-run double to Danny Campbell. Sophomore right-hander Bailey Gauthier (Camillus, N.Y. / West Genesee) gave up one run and struck out three in three innings of relief.

After an off-day Monday, the Blue Devils and Oneonta play a three-game SUNYAC series in Fredonia at Ludwig Field. The teams will play Tuesday at 3 p.m. followed by a doubleheader Wednesday starting at 1 p.m..