The Oswego State baseball team came up two runs short of earning the final berth in the SUNY Athletic Conference Tournament as the Lakers split a doubleheader with New Paltz on Sunday, May 1, at the South Athletic Complex.
The hosts, needing a split to secure a spot in next weekend's tournament, got off to a good start winning the opening game 6-1, but dropped the night cap to the Hawks by the score of 4-2. The split put the Lakers at 14-13 overall and 5-9 in the SUNYAC, while New Paltz closed out conference play at 4-10 and are 12-23 overall.
Freshman Rob Johnson (North Chili) gave the Lakers a boost in the first game as he tossed 7-1/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win in the opener. After allowing a run in the first and getting into a jam in the second, Johnson came in and shut the door on the Hawks scattering eight hits and collecting four strikeouts.
Oswego State broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth scoring five times. The go-ahead run came when pinch-hitter Chris Raudnael (Poughkeepsie) singled home Dave Johnson (North Chili). Jim Miner (Liverpool) followed with another RBI single and Nick Marzullo (Cicero) added to the big inning driving in two more runs with a single.
In the second game, New Paltz scored an unearned in the top of the first, but the Lakers bounced right back to take the lead in the latter half of the inning. Matt Kimpland (Futon) who led off the inning with a walk, scored on a wild pitch and Anthony Coromato (Utica) scored the second run on an infield error.
The score remained 2-1 until the top of the sixth when the Hawks plated a pair of runs Jeff Cote' (Mechanicsville, MD) scored on an error and William Kelts (Waterford) doubled in John DeKams (Kings Park).
New Paltz added an insurance run in the ninth and then kept Oswego State off the board in the bottom half of the inning to gain the split.
Tom Farrell (Oswego) went 3-for-4 with a double for the Lakers and Raudnael added a pair of singles.
Vinny McAdams (Little Falls) had two doubles for New Paltz.
Game 1
Teams 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New Paltz 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 11 1
Oswego State 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 6 8 0
Joe Gugliotta (L), Ryan Schafer (6) and Josh Gutes, Robert Helf (7). Sean Kennedy, Ron Johnson (2-W) and Dave Johnson.
2B: Rob Burke (O), Josh Gutes (NP), Jeff Cote' (NP)
Game 2
Teams 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New Paltz 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 4 9 1
Oswego State 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 3
John DeKams (W), Josh Gutes (S-8) and Josh Gutes, Robert Helf (8). Chris Daley (L), Adam Harendza (8) and Dave Johnson.
2B: Vinny McAdams (NP) 2; Jeff Cote' (NP); Williams Kelts (NP); Tom Farrell (O),
