Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team totaled 20 stolen bases en route to taking both games of a non-conference doubleheader at Norwich University, winning 8-2 and 3-1, at Garrity Field on Tuesday. The Cardinals, winners in three of their last four games, are 10-19 on the season, while the Cadets go to 12-19. Both of Tuesday's games were seven-inning contests.
Plattsburgh State senior Billy Rombauts (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip/Erskine) went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, two stolen bases and one run scored in the opener, while classmate T.J. Montalbano (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West/Jefferson CC) added two hits and a stolen base. Junior Noah Clark (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East/Caldwell) provided a sacrifice fly, while sophomore Patrick Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches/Hofstra) and Stephen Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches) both chipped in RBI singles. Junior Joe Deland (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East/Suffolk County CC) walked twice and stole two bases. Sophomore Ryan Whalen (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) struck out five batters and allowed two runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings for his second win of the season. Freshman Connor Lyons (Brookhaven, N.Y./Bellport) scattered two hits in 1.2 scoreless frames.
Norwich junior Drew Caldwell and freshman Andrew Fisher both went 3-for-4 with a run scored and freshman Jake Godbee had an RBI single. Freshman Brady Doherty walked and stole a base and sophomore Dustin Spatz contributed an RBI. Freshman Casey Lemke took the loss after 3.0 innings of work.
The Cadets hopped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to Godbee's RBI single and Spatz's sac fly. The Cardinals then plated three runs in both the third and fourth innings to take a 6-2 edge. Rombauts laced two-run single and then touched home on a passed ball to have a hand in all three fourth-inning runs. Rombauts drove in freshman James Hartunian (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) in the sixth and Stephen Bryant singled home Clark in the seventh for the Cardinals' eighth and final run. Norwich left a pair of runners on base in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
In game two, the Cardinals stole 12 bases to come within one swipe of the most in program history. Stephen Bryant matched a program single-game high by swiping four bases to complement his two hits and two runs scored. Bryant joins Kilvio Garcia (April 13, 2016) and Zack Welch (April 7, 2008) as the only Cardinals to steal four bases in a game. Freshman Keller Kowalowski (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown Central) picked up his first two career hits while picking up an RBI, a walk and a stolen base. Sophomore Jon Craft (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) walked and stole three bases, while Hartunian and sophomore Jordan Godfrey (Castleton, Vt./Rutland) both stole two bases. Freshman Brantley Marion (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown Central) earned his first career win by scattering five hits in 4.1 scoreless innings and classmate Justin Adams (Valhalla, N.Y./Westlake) logged his first career save in 2.2 relief frames.
Norwich sophomore Kevin Lynch went 2-for-4, while senior LaShawn Thomas singled in a run. Senior Matt Sirois walked and stole a base and sophomore Jake Ryan was tagged with the loss after yielding two runs – no earned – on four hits with four strikeouts in 3.0 innings. The Cadets did not allow an earned run on seven total hits in the second game.
The Cardinals plated two runs in the second inning to take the lead. Stephen Bryant came home on a throwing error and Kowalowski ripped a one-out RBI single to left field. The visitors turned a double play in the third and then kept the Cadets stranded at third base in the fourth and fifth innings. Plattsburgh State scored its final run in the sixth as Stephen Bryant touched home on another throwing error. Thomas singled home junior Drew Caldwell in the bottom of the seventh for the hosts' lone run.
Plattsburgh State wraps up its current six-game road swing by visiting Union College on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The game is slated to be played at Shuttleworth Park in Amsterdam, N.Y.