Rome, NY – Jeremy Baez (Bronx, NY) spotted the SUNY Canton baseball team an early two-run lead but the Roos dropped a 3-2 decision to Hamilton College in a neutral site game Tuesday evening at DeLutis Field.

Christian Nazario-Cruz (Naguabo, Puerto Rico) opened the game being hit by a pitch. Wilson Matos (Brooklyn, NY) singled to right center and Nazario-Cruz and Matos showed aggressive base running executing a double steal. With a pair of runners in scoring position and no outs Daniel DePao struck out a pair for the Continentals. Baez came up clutch with two down on a single to center that plated both Nazario-Cruz and Matos.

Brandon Welch (Constable, NY) doubled with two out in the second but was left on base after a fly out. Matos reached base in the third inning on a fielding error by the left fielder advancing all the way to third with one down. Seth Douglas (Reedsburg, WI) hit a fly ball to center with one down but Matos was unable to tag up on the play.

Hamilton did all of its work in the fourth inning with two outs. Andrew Haser got things started with a solo shot to left field. The Continentals scored their other two runs on an infield single by Robert Morri followed by a SUNY Canton throwing error.

Looking to tie the game the Roos got a two-out double in the fifth from Nazario-Cruz but a sharp liner to right from Matos ended the inning. Douglas doubled to right center to lead off the sixth but was gunned down trying to steal third base. SUNY Canton's final solid chance to knot the score came on a leadoff single from Nazario-Cruz in the eighth but he was unable to get any closer than second base.

John Mancini (Scotia, NY) got the start on the mound scattering five hits and two earned runs over seven innings. He struck out seven batters and walked one. Khalil Bratton (Queens, NY) came on in relief in the eighth and struck out the side. DePao earned the win for Hamilton, while Finlay O'Har picked up the save in three innings of relief.

The baseball team will return to DeLutis Field on Wednesday for a doubleheader against Cazenovia College beginning at 1:00 p.m.