Submitted Photo Jane Chiacchia

BINGHAMTON — Fredonia State fell to New Paltz 5-0 in the semifinals of the SUNYAC Women’s Tennis Championships on Thursday.

One of the Blue Devils brought home the conference’s top academic award.

The Blue Devils (3-4), seeded No. 2 from the West Division, were facing the top-seeded Hawks (7-0) from the East Division in the crossover tournament. No. 1 West seed Oswego met No. 2 East seed Oneonta in the other semifinal. New Paltz won the SUNYAC title by defeating Oneonta 5-1 in Thursday night’s championship match. It was the third straight title for the Hawks.

Thursday’s match completed the collegiate careers of senior Taylor Marelli and junior Jane Chiacchia, who will graduate early this spring. Chiacchia was take with her the SUNYAC Elite 20 award for having the highest grade-point average among all the competitors at the championship round. Majoring in applied mathematics and exercise science, Chiacchia entered the competition with a GPA of 3.96. The SUNYAC Elite 20, an award modeled after the NCAA ELITE 90 program, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.

This is the first year SUNYAC held its women’s tennis season in the spring. In past years, the league season was held in the fall with the conference champ automatically qualifying for the NCAA championship tournament the following spring.

BROCKPORT COMPLETES SEASON SWEEP

BROCKPORT — Brockport defeated Fredonia State in both ends of a SUNYAC baseball doubleheader Thursday, 19-5 and 13-4. The Golden Eagles won all eight meetings between the teams this spring.

In the opener, the Blue Devils scored all five of their runs in the ninth inning. Tyler Phillips had a two-run double and Matt Wojcik and Brian Chatt each had an RBI single. Ryan Hann also had an RBI while Jordan Maher and Zach Hemphill each had a single to set up the inning. Korey Canton was the losing pitcher.

The Blue Devils took a 1-0 lead in Game 2 on the running of Phillips. He walked to lead off the game, stole second, stole third and scored on an infield groundout by Brian Chatt. The lead was short-lived as Brockport exploded for seven runs in the last of the first, five off starter Josh Posnick. Fredonia State scored once in the fourth singles by Ryan Hann and Chatt and a sacrifice fly by Johnny Genau, and twice in the sixth with Chatt (hit by pitch), Genau (single) and a Brockport error accounting for the runs.

Fredonia State’s season concludes today when the Blue Devils entertain Cortland in a SUNYAC doubleheader. Game 1 at Ludwig Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.