COCOA BEACH, FL- The New Paltz baseball split a pair of games today between Hilbert College and Franciscan at the Cocoa Expo.  The Hawks fell to Hilbert, 8-1 in the opener and defeated Franciscan 7-1 in the night cap.  The Hawks improve to 2-1 on the season.

In the Hilbert game, Pat Sylvester had the lone RBI on a bases loaded walk that scored Joel Judson in the first inning.  Timmy Chelius threw seven innings allowing eight runs, seven earned, on 14 hits and striking out four.  Kyle Ochiuzzo threw two scoreless innings in relief, giving up one hit and striking out one.

In the nightcap against Franciscan, freshman pitcher Michael Pinnola earned his first collegiate victory with a complete game.  He allowed one run on three hits and striking out four in his first start. 

Franciscan scored first in the second inning when Chris Kotur had a RBI single to score Dustin Pagano from second.  The Hawks answered back in the bottom of the inning when Matt O'Neill drove home Steve Pinckney on a single and two batters later Dylan Franco ripped a two-run double and would later score on a wild pitch to give the Hawks a 3-1 lead.

In the eighth, the Hawks tacked on four more runs when Nick Monaco drove home Clinton Boettcher and Pinckney on two-run double.  Franco would add a RBI ground out to complete the score of 7-1.

Kevin Marrow pitched eight innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits and striking out five.  He also gave out eight free passes to the Hawks.  Franciscan falls to 0-1 on the season.