Trailing 10-3 entering their final at-bat, the Old Westbury Panthers rallied back to cut the lead to 10-8 and sent the game-winning run to the plate. John Taglienti picked up an RBI off a double that scored Darly Alcantara, who had reached on an error to start thing off. Taglienti came around to score on a single up the middle by Ramon Geronimo and, with runners on first and third, Greg Jones' single drove in another run, making the score 10-6.
On the next play, Rob Knips crushed a double into the centerfield wall, allowing Jones and pinch runner Kevin Reynolds to score. Anderson walked on the next play, representing the would-be game-tying run and the Panthers sent the possible game-winning run to the plate. Tristan Greene, who had entered the game with one out, managed the save, as Alcantara flied out to rightfield, ending Old Westbury's impressive late run.
The Panthers put together the game's first run early, using a combination of strategy and bad luck by New Paltz. Leadoff hitter Taglienti reached base with a walk, advanced to second with a sacrifice bunt by Ricardo Pena and went to third and eventually scored on wild pitches by New Paltz hurler Jeff Stith.
New Paltz answered with its next at bat, as Dean Glanzman led off the second with the first homerun at the newly renovated Jackie Robinson Sports Complex. One inning later, Daniel Garcia led off a five-run third inning for New Paltz with another homerun, this time over the leftfield fence. Two doubles and a single produced four more runs for New Paltz who ended their at-bat with a 6-1 lead.
The Panthers threatened in the fourth, loading the bases with one out, but Stith struck out Knips and Alan Anderson flied out to deep centerfield to end the inning. New Paltz added two in the fifth on four hits including back-to-back doubles.
Greg Jones tripled for Old Westbury in the sixth and was driven home on the next play with a sacrifice fly by Knips. Darly Alcantara followed suit in the next inning with a triple to center and Taglienti drove him in with a single, cutting the lead to 8-3.
New Paltz added its final two runs in the top of the ninth.
Stith earned the win, after throwing six innings and allowing two earned runs. Greg Campo allowed one run in three innings. The loss was issued to Joe Sgroi, who allowed six earned runs in 2.2 innings. Emilio Tapia closed out the game for Old Westbury, picking up seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings.
Glanzman went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBI, while DeKams went 3-for-5 with two RBI for the Hawks. Jones led Old Westbury with a 2-for-4 outing, including two runs scored and one RBI. Taglienti finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.
Old Westbury will celebrate the 2006 Senior Day on Wednesday when it hosts Fairleigh Dickinson in game one and John Jay in game two of a twilight doubleheader beginning at 3:30 pm.