SALISBURY, Md. – The No. 11 Salisbury University baseball team dropped the first game of a three-game set, 9-5, against State University of New York at New Paltz on Saturday afternoon at the SU Baseball Field.

Salisbury (4-2) got on the board early, with an unearned run in the first. Freshman Pete Grasso lined a one-out single to right center, and advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt with junior Bobby Sanzone at the plate. Sanzone would take advantage, driving a liner to left field for a 1-0 Sea Gull lead.

New Paltz (1-0) would counter in the top of the second. David Lostaglio hit a one-out double down the right field line, followed by an infield single by Andrew DiNardo. The Sea Gulls nearly got out of the inning when Chris Baltera hit a ball to Grasso, who started what looked like an inning-ending double play. On the turn at second, the throw by senior Johnny Schiotis pulled classmate Quinn Griffith off the bag. With two outs, Richard Guido lined to second and the ball hit the lip where the turf and dirt meet, skipping into centerfield for a 1-1 contest.

New Paltz would take the lead in the next inning, getting a run much the same way the Sea Gulls did earlier in the contest. After two singles, junior Dan Fein had Steven Morse picked off at second base, but as Morse tried to advance to third Fein's throw got past Sanzone. Morse would score on the error, giving the Hawks a 2-1 lead.

The Hawks would push across two more runs in the top of the fourth. After loading the bases with no outs, Fein nearly worked out of the jam, but Stanley DeLaCruz hit a two-out, two-run double to right center for a 4-1 New Paltz lead.

The Sea Gulls closed the gap in their half of the fourth. Junior Sam Myers led the inning off getting hit by a pitch. Following the first out, junior Austin Barefoot and senior Bill Root drew consecutive walks to load the bases. With Kyle Hayman at bat, Myers scored on a passed ball to cut the lead to 4-2. Following a Hayman walk, Grasso bounced into a fielder's choice, collecting an RBI to further cut into the deficit.

Following a leadoff single in the fifth for the Hawks, Head Coach Doug Fleetwood went to his bullpen, bringing in junior Mitch Paz. Fein's final line was four-plus innings pitched, as he allowed four runs, three earned, on nine hits. The lefty struck out three batters and walked one.

New Paltz would add to its lead in the fifth, scoring a run on a wild pitch for a 5-3 lead.

The fifth inning would be the only inning for Paz, who was replaced junior Ryan Belanger. Paz allowed a run, which was earned, on a hit in his inning of work.

In the sixth, the Sea Gulls would tie the score, when junior Jordan Gowe ripped a two-out, bases loaded double, scoring Root and Grasso. Sanzone was cut down at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run for the third out.

New Paltz would strike back in its next inning to take an 8-5 lead. The Hawks would push across the runs on one hit, with Salisbury committing two errors in the inning. The Hawks would also tack on a run in the eighth for a 9-5 lead. Belanger was charged with each of the three runs in the seventh inning and took the loss for the Sea Gulls.

Gowe led the Sea Gulls with two RBIs on the day.

The two teams will meet up again tomorrow, with a doubleheader scheduled. The first game is slated to begin at 11 a.m.