FORT MYERS, FLA—The Oneonta State baseball team is off to a 3-3 start to the season through the first six games of 2012.  The Red Dragons still have four more games scheduled on its season opening trip to Fort Myers, Fla. before heading to Fredonia this weekend to open SUNYAC play.

Today, Oneonta played a solid Wooster squad and were trailing 2-1 before the Fighting Scots pushed across two runs in the 7th inning en route to the 4-1 final.  Freshman Alex Mastrianni (Valatie/Ichabod Crane) threw six solid innings allowing only six hits and two earned runs while striking out five batters in his first collegiate start.  Senior Tory Bouyea (Plattsburgh/Plattsburgh) had two of Oneonta's six hits in the game.

In the opening game of the season this past Saturday, Oneonta pounded out 19 hits in defeating Western Connecticut 13-7.  Juniors Rob Peluso (Rensselaer/Columbia) and Matt Salvatore (Staten Island/Staten Island) combined for seven hits and six runs batted in to lead the offensive assault.  Senior Chris Tyson (Niskayuna/Niskayuna) went five innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits to pick up his first win of the season.  The win was also Coach Ben Grimm's first as a collegiate head coach.

On Sunday, Oneonta split a doubleheader with Plymouth State, winning the first game 3-2 before losing 7-6 in game two.  The Red Dragons rallied to score three runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the victory.  Junior Nate Jones (Apalachin/Seton Catholic) had the game winning hit with the bases loaded as he singled just over second base to score Bouyea.  Junior Jim Hegmann (Middletown/Pine Bush) picked up the win in game one, throwing 2-2/3 scoreless innings.

Yesterday, Oneonta split a pair of games with Colby College.  They dropped the first game, 4-2, before bouncing back in game two with a four-run seventh inning to win 5-2.  A couple of fielder's choices with the bases loaded drove in two of the runs while Bouyea drove in the final run of the inning.  Senior Eric Wells (Athens, PA/Athens) collected three hits in the game for Oneonta.  Freshman Steve Ascher (Cutchogue/Mattituck) went the distance, striking out four batters, to record his first collegiate win.

After today's game with Wooster, the team headed to The Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida, which is the only comprehensive child healthcare facility between Tampa and Miami.  The Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida provides vital healthcare for the region's children, from infancy through age 18.  Established in 1992 to meet the growing and continuing need for comprehensive child healthcare in Southwest Florida, The Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida is part of the Lee Memorial Health Care System family. Sharing the legacy of providing top quality healthcare services that dates back to 1916, the hospital is committed to delivering superior care to all the youngest of patients, their families and local communities.

The players visited children's rooms, colored pictures and chatted with each child during their visit.

"The trip to the SW Florida Children's Hospital went extremely well," said Grimm.  "Our guys really enjoyed spending some time with the children."

Player Steve Lambert (White Plains/White Plains) added, "It put everything into perspective. Seeing these kids stay positive despite their condition, makes us realize how blessed we are to play a college sport."