FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader against Vassar College at Farmingdale State College's Baseball Stadium on Sunday. With both games designated for seven innings, Vassar took game one, 4-3, in eight innings and Plattsburgh State prevailed in the second contest, 4-1. The Cardinals, who were the visitors in both of today's games, move to 4-9 on the season, while the Brewers are 5-7.
In game one, Plattsburgh State freshman Stephen Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches) went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two stolen bases, while junior Adam Calabro (Danbury, Conn./John Jay-East Fishkill) went 2-for-3. Junior Noah Clark (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East/Caldwell) went 2-for-4 with one run scored, classmate Joe Deland (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East/Suffolk County CC) had a pinch-hit single and a run scored and freshman Frank Tricamo (Deer Park, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) had one RBI. Sophomore Patrick Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches/Hofstra) allowed just two runs on six hits across five innings for the no decision and freshman Kentaro Mori (Tokyo, Japan/Joto) took the loss in relief by yielding a run on two hits in the last 2.2 innings.
Vassar freshman Matt Martino chipped in the game-winning RBI single and doubled as part of his 3-for-4 outing, while classmate Daniel Bonfiglio went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, one walk and two runs scored. Senior Denis Shanagher had two hits, one double and one stolen base and junior Matt Hernandez provided an RBI single. Sophomore Bryan Rubin threw a scoreless and hitless 1.1 innings in relief for the win.
With the game knotted at 3-3 and with two outs, Bonfiglio doubled down the left-field line and Martino followed up on the next pitch with the game-winning hit to center field. Earlier in that half inning, Plattsburgh State stranded a runner at second base.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the second after Clark scored from third on Tricamo's fielder's choice. Vassar started the bottom of that inning with a walk but a double-play lineout squandered any damage. The Brewers then scored once in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take a 3-1 lead. Needing a pair of runs to at least extend the game, Plattsburgh State scored twice in the top of the seventh on Stephen Bryant's one-out two-run single down the left-field line. Hernandez was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the seventh and then reached second on a wild pitch but the Brewers grounded out and flew out to leave the runner in scoring position.
In game two, Plattsburgh State freshman Alex Follmer (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) went 2-for-3 with a walk and senior T.J. Montalbano (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West/Jefferson CC) went 2-for-4 with an RBI single to push his career hit total to 97. Mori had one hit and two walks, while Deland had an RBI knock. Calabro doubled and scored a run and freshman Santino Ycaza (Mastic, N.Y./Brentwood Sonderling) chipped in an RBI single. Sophomore Ryan Whalen (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) scattered five hits over four scoreless innings to earn his first career win and freshman Alec Fauvell (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) threw one scoreless frame to earn his first career save.
Shanagher went 3-for-4, while Bonfiglio and Rubin both singled and walked. Junior Bobby Kinne had a pinch-hit RBI double and senior Robert Winkelmann allowed three runs on five hits in two innings in the loss.
The Cardinals struck for three two-out runs in the second inning to take the lead. Ycaza singled up the middle for the first run and Stephen Bryant and Montalbano had back-to-back RBI singled to stretch the lead. Vassar had a runner reach third in the bottom of the third but Whalen induced an inning-ending double play to prevent the scoring threat.
Deland contributed a one-out RBI single to score sophomore pinch-runner Chris Robertson (Thiells, N.Y./Saint Joseph Regional) for the Cardinals' fourth and final run. The Brewers got on the board in the sixth as Kinne provided a pinch-hit RBI double to score Rubin. Two Vassar batters reached base in the seventh but Fauvell struck out a Brewer and induced a game-ending groundout.
Plattsburgh State jumps back into its State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) schedule with a three-game set at No. 13 Oswego State next weekend. Game one is scheduled for Friday at 3 p.m. followed by a Saturday noon doubleheader. Oswego State, an NCAA Tournament qualifier the last two seasons, is ranked according to the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA)/D3baseball.com Poll.