AMSTERDAM, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team yielded an eighth-inning go-ahead run in a 4-3 loss in non-conference play at Union (N.Y.) College in a game played at Shuttleworth Park on Wednesday. The Cardinals, who finished up a six-game road slate, slide to 10-20 on the season, while the Dutchmen, now winners of six straight games, are 17-10. Wednesday's game was a nine-inning affair.
Plattsburgh State sophomore Jordan Godfrey (Castleton, Vt./Rutland) and freshman Kentaro Mori (Tokyo, Japan/Joto) both walked and had RBI singles, with Mori adding a run scored, while sophomore Jon Craft (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) walked and put down a squeeze bunt. Juniors Noah Clark (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East/Caldwell) and Joe Deland (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East/Suffolk County CC) both singled, walked and stole a base, with Clark scoring once, while senior T.J. Montalbano (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West/Jefferson CC) and freshman James Hartunian (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) both singled. Junior Mitch Crispens (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) allowed one run – unearned – on three hits with three strikeouts in 5.2 innings for the no decision, while freshman Brantley Marion (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown Central) surrendered one run – unearned – on one hit in 2.1 frames for the loss in relief. All four runs allowed were unearned.
Union senior Kent Curran went 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base, freshman Colin Kelly had an RBI double and junior Andy Labeck provided an RBI single. Junior Jake Vesling singled and classmate Nate Olson walked. Junior Nick Williams earned the win in relief after tossing a scoreless inning with one walk and two strikeouts and classmate Bill Christopher retired the side in the ninth for the save.
The Cardinals grabbed the game's first lead in the third inning as Mori singled up the middle with two outs to score Clark. Union left a runner at second base in the home half of the third and senior Billy Rombauts (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip/Erskine) caught a Dutchmen runner trying to take second the next inning. Both sides walked and left a runner on base in the fifth.
Plattsburgh State then drew back-to-back walks to start the sixth off of Union freshman reliever Sam Mikell. Hartunian's sac bunt put both Cardinal runners in scoring position and Craft came up two pitches later with a one-out squeeze to bring home Mori. Godfrey added an infield RBI single to stretch the visitors' lead to 3-0. Union battled back with three runs the next half inning to even up the score. A Plattsburgh State defensive error with two outs helped score the first run before Labeck and Kelly both contributed scoring hits.
After a scoreless seventh, Plattsburgh State left a runner at first in the eighth and Union plated a two-out run the next half inning to take a late 4-3 edge. With a Dutchmen runner at first and two outs, the Cardinals committed their second error in three innings, allowing the go-ahead run to come home. Christopher entered for the ninth and needed just 10 pitches to retire the side in order to seal the win.
With its six-game road swing wrapped up, Plattsburgh State is at home for four of its final five games of the season. The Cardinals host State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) foe Fredonia for a three-game series this weekend, beginning with a Friday 3 p.m. contest.