Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College baseball team (10-7) split a doubleheader with the State University of New York at Oneonta (8-14) Tuesday evening at Dutchess Stadium. Oneonta shut out the Knights in game one, 5-0, but the Knights bounced back to take game two, 7-6.
 
The Red Dragons came out blazing with four runs in the top of the first in game one. First baseman Nate Eastman cleared the bases on a three-RBI triple, and then scored when left fielder Mike Cruz doubled in the next at bat. Cruz knocked in another run in the sixth to put the Red Dragons up, 5-0.
 
Danny Rodriguez picked up the win for the Red Dragons, tossing two scoreless innings in relief. Sophomore starter Logan Kurtz (Gansevoort, N.Y.) suffered his second loss of the second, allowing five runs in six innings of work.
 
Eastman and Cruz each hit 2-for-3 in Tuesday's opener. Eastman knocked in three runs and scored once, while Cruz plated a pair.
 
Freshman shortstop Steve Notaro (Staten Island, N.Y.) went 1-for-2 and was hit by a pitch, while four other Knight hitters went 1-for-3.
 
The Knights bounced back from the opening-game shutout to put up seven runs in a victorious nightcap. The ended their scoreless streak quickly when sophomore second baseman James Nakashian (Massapequa, N.Y.) picked up an RBI on a groundout in the bottom of the first. Billy Riedel tied the game for the Red Dragons in the second with an RBI groundout of his own.
 
The Knights took control in the home half of the second, bringing three runs home to go up 4-1. Senior left fielder Angelo Biondo (Hauppauge, N.Y.) doubled down the left field line to bring freshman designated hitter Rob Peccerillo (Staten Island, N.Y.) around to score. Senior catcher Chris O'Connor (Campbell Hall, N.Y.) brought in freshman shortstop Jimmy Papineau (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) on a sacrifice fly, and then Nakashian knocked in Biondo on a single up the middle.
 
Oneonta managed to get a pair back in the top of the fourth, but Nakashian was at the plate for another scoring play in the bottom of the fourth. He hit a slow roller to the third baseman, which he beat out for a hit. The ball was thrown into the stands, leading to O'Connor scoring from second to put the Knights up, 5-3.
 
Matt Mastroianni brought in Kies on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth, but the Red Dragons were unable to tie in the inning. The Knights picked up two more runs in the fifth in odd fashion. Peccerillo scored from third on a wild pitch, and then Papineau tried to catch the pitcher napping and attempted to steal home. He was thrown out, but was given the plate after the umpire determined that the pitcher balked, putting the Knight run total to seven runs, which turned out to be crucial.
 
Oneonta put a scare in the Knights in the top of the seventh. Cruz opened the inning with a single to right center. Mastroianni pulled a hard line drive, but freshman third baseman Luis Rivera (Linden, N.J.) made a diving stab at it for the out. Chris Orlando then tripled to deep left center to bring Cruz in to score. Dylan Stamile pinch hit and knocked in Orlando on a ground out to second, cutting the deficit to just one run. Senior pitcher Zach Kenny (Hicksville, N.Y.) held serve against the final batter, getting him to ground out to short to end the game.
 
Kenny picked up the victory after allowing three runs across three innings of relief work. Eastman took the loss in game two for Oneonta, allowing five runs (four earned) in four innings.
 
Nakashian knocked in two runs in a 2-for-4 effort in Tuesday's finale. Peccerillo hit 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Biondo scored once and plated another in a 1-for-2 game. Rivera went 1-for-1 with three walks and two stolen bases.
 
Jon Halligan went 2-for-4 with a triple, a run and an RBI in game two for Oneonta. Orlando hit 2-for-2 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored.
 
The Knights get back to work quickly, as they host Manhattanville College tomorrow in a single game to be played at the Mount. First pitch will be thrown at 4 p.m.
 
Follow the Knights on Twitter at @MSMCKnights