NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The Golden Eagle pitching staff remained strong as it closed out a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) series sweep against New Paltz, cruising to a 9-0 win in game one of a doubleheader before edging the Hawks in a 4-2 extra inning victory at Loren Campbell Memorial Field on Saturday.
Brockport (22-16 Overall, 12-6 SUNYAC) utilized another shutout performance from a junior starting pitcher when Sam McCumiskey shut down the Hawks one day after teammate Austin Spindler's nine inning gem. Game two starter Tyler Clifford threw two shutout frames before the Hawks scored their first run of the series. The run was unearned as Brockport held New Paltz without a legitimate run for 20 innings.
Game 1: Brockport 9 – New Paltz 0
The Golden Eagle offense wasted little time to score what proved to be the winning run. During the second inning, Luke Gilbert singled to right center before catcher Justin Valentino's liner to right field allowed the speedy Gilbert to advance to third base. Brett Sanders fly ball to right field was deep enough to score Gilbert from third to put Brockport ahead 1-0.
Following two outs on four pitches from McCumiskey, New Paltz's Tyler Laco doubled to left field for the first Hawks hit of the game. McCumiskey made quick work of the New Paltz right fielder needing just four pitches as he got the batter to swing and miss to end the inning.
Brockport took the driver's seat in the contest with five runs scored in the third inning. Paul Ludden was hit by a pitch before second baseman Wesley Burghardt connected on the first pitch he saw, sending it over the left field fence.
Cleanup man Chris Davis doubled on the first pitch he saw before Josh Martin hit Brockport's second home run of the inning. The Golden Eagles exited the top of the third inning with a 6-0 lead after Eli Carrera doubled before advancing to third on a Valentino sacrifice bunt and scored on a balk.
McCumiskey worked around a leadoff double from New Paltz's Ryan Frost in the bottom half of the inning before setting the Hawks down in order for the next two frames.
Despite a six run lead, Brockport executed the small ball approach perfectly in the sixth inning. Two straight walks followed by a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly put the Green and Gold ahead by seven. Gilbert laid down the bunt and Valentino hit the sacrifice fly that allowed pinch runner Drew DeBlasiis to score.
Brockport tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning prior to McCumiskey shutting the door on the Hawks which clinched the No. 3 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament for Brockport. On the day McCumiskey threw seven innings, giving up four hits, one walk and striking out four batters.
The Green and Gold needed just ten hits to score nine runs as Ludden, Davis and Valentino led the way with two hits apiece. DeBlasiis and Carrera scored multiple runs for the Golden Eagles.
Game 2: Brockport 4 – New Paltz 2 (12 innings)
Brockport trailed twice in the game to New Paltz as it played spoiler to the Hawks. The Golden Eagles pair of victories combined with a pair of Fredonia wins knocked New Paltz from the SUNYACs.
A wild bottom of the third inning put New Paltz ahead as Taylor Anderson reached base on an error to lead the inning off. Brockport would commit two more errors in the frame but escaped the third trailing by just a single run because Clifford was able to pitch around the miscues.
The Green and Gold answered back to even the score at 1-1 in the top of the fifth following back-to-back singles by speedy outfielders DeBlasiis and Gilbert. Brockport's third outfielder Dane Cala rolled over on a pitch hitting a grounder to the first baseman that was able to score DeBlasiis.
However the Hawks answered back in the bottom half of the fifth on a similar groundout to the first baseman which gave New Paltz the 2-1 lead.
Chris Davis' first career home run in the top of the sixth evened the score back up at 2-all. Davis watched a strike called and a ball before drilling the third pitch of his at-bat over the left centerfield fence.
Clifford pitched Brockport through seven full innings, working his way into the eighth. A leadoff single, sacrifice bunt and intentional walk brought about the first Golden Eagles relief pitcher of the series.
Senior Kyle Perez entered the game with one out and two men on the eighth. Perez pounded the strike zone forcing the Hawks batters into action. He got the first batter to fly out to left field before a groundout to shortstop Greg Ruddy ended the scoring opportunity.
Nick Jerolimov had similar results for Brockport as he relieved Perez with a man on base in a high pressure situation of the ninth inning. The Hawks needed just a single run to take the victory but Jerolimov and the Golden Eagles exited the frame still alive after a sacrifice bunt, intentional walk that masterfully played out to fruition with a groundball double play.
Brockport had another frightening inning during the bottom half of the 10th frame. New Paltz had multiple men on the bases and a single through the left side brought the potential winning run rounding third base. DeBlasiis' throw was on the money as Ludden applied the tag at home to preserve the 2-2 tie and send the game to the 11th inning.
Both lineups sent three up and three down in the 11th before Brockport pulled away with two runs in the 12th. Davis came up with the clutch hit yet again for Brockport. With the bases loaded and two outs, Davis doubled down the left field line scoring Sanders and Ruddy on the play before Ludden was tossed out at home.
Jerolimov stayed on the mound with the two run cushion in the bottom half of the frame. He worked quickly through the Hawks striking out the last batter to earn his second win of the season.
Clifford threw seven and one third innings, striking out three while giving up six hits. Perez threw a total of two thirds innings, giving up zero runs, zero hits and zero walks while Jerolimov improved to 2-1 on the season. He threw four innings while striking out three, giving up just two hits and two walks.
Davis led the lineup with three hits, two for extra bases, in five tries while knocking in three runs. The left side of the Golden Eagle infield collected four hits altogether as both Ruddy and Sanders finished with two apiece.
Brockport will play its home finale this Tuesday against St. John Fisher at 4 p.m. before traveling to Cortland for the 2016 SUNYAC Tournament. Be sure to stay up to date on all your Golden Eagle scores and awards by following @BportAthletics on Twitter and by following the "Brockport Golden Eagles" Facebook page.