Purchase, NY (Apr. 10, 2016) – The Purchase College baseball team fell at the hands of Skyline Conference foe Farmingdale State Sunday afternoon in a doubleheader as it was nearly able to pull out a victory in game two before falling in the top of the eighth inning, 4-3.  In the opener, Purchase's Mathew Chavez hit a 2-RBI double as the Panthers dropped a 6-3 decision to the visiting Rams. 

The losses mark the first two for Purchase (11-14, 6-2 SKY) in conference play, bumping the Panthers down to the No. 3 spot.  The Rams (9-0, 4-0 SKY) advance to the No. 2 spot.

The Panthers were unable to get much going in game one despite Chavez's (SR/Brooklyn, NY) double to left field that brought teammates Nick Kulbaba (SR/Suffern, NY) and Tyrus Lawrence (FR/Mahopac, NY) around to score, bringing the Ram lead down to one run, 4-3. 

Farmingdale answered back in the top of the ninth inning.  Brian Brenton led off the inning with a single to right center and advanced to second off a sacrifice bunt by Kenneth Johntry.  Nick Attardi was sent to first on an intentional walk and a Brandon Ernest groundout put both runnsers in scoring position.  Pinch hitter Domenic Palumbo stepped up to the plate next and smacked a 2-RBI double to extend the Rams' lead to 6-3.

In the bottom half of the inning, Purchase put two runners in scoring positions with a walk and a Farmingdale error but was unable to manufacture any runs.

Farmingdale's Matt Seelinger (2-1) notched the win on the hill and Christopher Reilly picked up his second save of the season in relief.

Purchase used four pitchers, including starter Jonathan Deacon (SO/Lindenhurst, NY) (1-2), who took the loss.   

Game two of the doubleheader started with a pitcher's duel as both teams remained scoreless until the fifth inning.  Farmingdale got things going first in the top half of the inning after a 2-RBI double by Johntry.  Purchase answered back in the bottom half with the same play after Patrick Rucci (JR/Cortlandt Manor, NY) smashed a 2-RBI double to left field.

Purchase tallied a one-run lead, its first of the afternoon, in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Ryan Aponte (JR/Bronx, NY) led off with a single to right field.  Kulbaba singled to second base, putting Aponte into scoring position.  Chavez bunted and reached by an error on the pitcher.  Kulbaba advanced to third and Aponte scored on the same error.  A ground out to second base and a fly out to right field would end the inning, as the Panthers took a 3-2 lead heading for what they thought would be the last three outs of the game.

With two outs on the board and no runners on base, Farmingdale's Ryan Osborne ripped a pitch from Joseph Stewart (JR/Garnerville, NY) down the third base line and later stole second base.  Stewart walked the next two batters, and with the bases loaded pinch hitter Charles O'Neill Jr. hit a single to left field that brought two runners home and put the Rams back in the lead, 4-3.   

Purchase was unable to get their bats going in the bottom half of the inning.  Three-straight outs would conclude the game, 4-3, in favor of the visiting Rams. 

Purchase will next face the Colonials of Western Connecticut State in a non-conference showdown on Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Danbury, CT.