Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

FISHKILL, N.Y. – Behind a strong effort in game one from junior Vinnie Carminati (Huntington, N.Y.) and seven runs batted in by senior Michael Morelli (Washingtonville, N.Y.) in game two, Mount Saint Mary College (3-3) completed a sweep of New Paltz (3-6) in non-conference action Monday.

In the opener, Carminati opened the scoring in the third with a single back through the middle, allowing freshman James Nakashian (Massapequa, N.Y.) to score from second.  New Paltz took the lead in the fifth when senior Matt Carr (Westbury, N.Y.) singled to center field and the ball scooted under the center fielder's glove.  The error allowed runners to score from first and second and Carr to advance to third.  Carr scored on a balk later in the inning to give the Hawks a 3-1 advantage.

The Knights were quick to answer, however, as a pair of infield singles put runners at the corners.  Nakashian grounded out to first, allowing senior Joe Clarke (Maybrook, N.Y.) to score from third.  With two outs, Carminati tied the game with a clutch single to center as freshman Mike Leone (Staten Island, N.Y.) raced home from second.

Still tied through the regulation seven innings, New Paltz went down in order during the top of the eighth.  Nakashian walked to lead off the Mount's half of the inning and moved to third on Carminati's third hit of the game.  With runners at the corners, Morelli grounded to third and when the throw went over the head of the first baseman, Nakashian walked across the game-winning run.

Carminati finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Nakashian went 1-for-3 with two runs and an RBI.  Freshman starting pitcher Logan Kurtz (Gansevoort, N.Y.) went five innings, allowing six hits and three runs.  Freshman Silverio Santiago (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) pitched three hitless innings in relief to earn the win.

Game two was Morelli's turn to shine.  His single in the first inning put the Knights on the board, but the big blow would come in the third.  With the Mount leading 2-1 and the bases loaded, Morelli crushed a line drive to left field that easily cleared the wall for a grand slam.

New Paltz responded with four runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning, but the Knights answered right back in the top of the fourth.  With runners at first and third, Carminati singled up the middle to drive home the first run of the inning.  Still with nobody out, Morelli drilled another pitch on the same line as the grand slam from the previous inning.  This time, it one-hopped the wall for a double, allowing Nakashian and Carminati to score and make it 9-5, Knights.

The Hawks managed one run in the bottom of the fourth, but would get no closer.  Junior Mike Klein (Elmont, N.Y.), freshman Preston Zanon (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), and senior Joe CoFrancesco (Hamden, Conn.) combined to shut down New Paltz the rest of the way.  Senior Marc Soevyn (Elmont, N.Y.) pitched the fourth inning to earn the win, while CoFrancesco was awarded the save.

Morelli finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and the seven RBIs.  Nakashian completed a nice afternoon with a 3-for-4 performance that included three runs scored, while Carminati finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.  Senior Michael Matuk (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) added two hits and three runs scored, while Matt Cahill (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) totaled two hits in three at-bats.

The Knights are scheduled to return to action on Wednesday with a home game against Albertus Magnus at 4:00 p.m.