A three-run home run by sophomore Billy Riedel (East Northport/John Glenn) in the top of the sixth inning lifted the SUNY Oneonta baseball team to a 6-2 victory today in the series final at Oswego.  The win for Oneonta (4-14, 1-6 SUNYAC) was its initial conference win of the season while the loss was the second of the spring in SUNYAC play for Oswego (18-6, 11-2).
 
Freshman Nicholas Ponesse (Newburgh/Valley Central) threw five innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs in picking up his third win of the season.  Classmate RJ Lyman (Mohegan Lake/Walter Panas) pitched four scoreless innings in relief and picked up his first collegiate save.
 
The Red Dragons trailed 2-1 entering the top of the sixth inning.  Freshman Samuel Beaulac started the inning with a double to right field and went to third on a wild pitch.  After a strike out, sophomore Casy Kies (Apalachin/Vestal) was hit by a pitch, which brought Riedel to the plate.  Riedel deposited a 1-0 pitch over the fence to score Beaulac and Kies ahead of him to give Oneonta a 4-2 lead.
 
Oneonta added single runs in the eighth and ninth innings for the final margin of victory.  Kies led the offense with three hits while classmate Wayne Baker (Port Washington/Paul D. Schreiber) added two hits and a run batted in.
 
In the opening game today, Oneonta took a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth before the Lakers scored two in the fifth and three more in the sixth to take the come-from-behind win 7-5.
 
Beaulac and junior Casey Kerdesky (Cornwall/Cornwall) started the game with back-to-back singles before advancing one base on a wild pitch, putting them in scoring position.  Riedel then stepped in and drove in Beaulac from third with a sacrifice fly to right field to give Oneonta a 1-0 lead.
 
The Red Dragons took advantage of a couple of miscues in the field in the second inning that led to a pair of runs.  Junior Joe Franke (Livingston Manor/Liberty Central) led off the inning with a walk and went to second on a bunt single by Baker.  Franke went to third on a fielder's choice, which put Baker out at second and Beaulac at first.  Franke scored on a failed pick-off attempt while also moving Beaulac to second base.  After a walk to Kerdesky, Riedel came through again with an RBI single to knock in Beaulac.
 
With two outs in the third inning, Baker drove a sharp double to center field to drive in Lenny Ortiz (Bronx/Clinton) from second base.  Senior Mike Cruz (Levittown/Division Avenue) then knocked a single to right field that drove in Baker from third.
 
Beaulac and Baker collected two hits apiece to lead the offense for Oneonta.
 
Oswego scored its first two runs of the game in the bottom of the third before getting to starter Kyle Jordan (Levittown/Division) in the fifth, chasing him from the game.  The Lakers touched up Jordan for four runs and reliever Erik Johansen (Rosendale/Rondout) for three runs.
 
In the opening game of the series yesterday, a four-run first inning for Oswego fueled a 9-2 victory.  The Red Dragons mustered only three hits in the game.
 
Oneonta will continue its road trip on Tuesday afternoon, as they are scheduled to play at Plattsburgh for a doubleheader beginning at 1pm.