Plattsburgh, N.Y. - The Plattsburgh State Baseball team utilized a ten-run fifth inning to down Clarkson University on the road Tuesday evening. The team has now won five straight games, the longest win streak for any Plattsburgh baseball team since 2012, when the team finished 22-17. 

Steve Messerschmitt (Fishkill, NY/Carmel) had a big day at the plate for the Cardinals, as the graduate student hit his first collegiate homerun and also doubled twice. He also added three RBIs to his line, scoring four times as well. Conner Gonzalski (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) also hit his first collegiate homerun, as he also finished with two hits and three RBIs. Aaron Roman (Pelham, NY/Pelham Memorial) got the start at DH on Tuesday, his first of the year, and made it count, driving in four runs on four hits.

The game looked to be in total control of Clarkson through the first four innings, as Plattsburgh had yet to even register a hit off the Golden Knights starter. Trailing 3-0 heading into the top of the fifth, the team strung together 10 runs on nine hits to take a 10-3 lead. 

The rally began after Alex Kornblau (Pound Ridge, NY/Fox Lane) reached on a HBP, which was followed by the Cardinals first hit of the game, a Roman double to put two runners in scoring position. Andrew Veit (Yaphank, NY/Bellport) drew a walk and Kaden Kowalowski (Plattsburgh, NY/Beekmantown) followed with a sharp single to left, plating one run. Clarkson decided to go the the pen, and Mike Rasquin (Garden City, NY/Garden City) bunted the first pitch he saw, driving in Roman on the fielder's choice and making the deficit just one. Gonzalski then smoke a ball to left field to bring in both runners on base and give the Cardinals the lead. The rally was far from over at this point as Messerschmitt later doubled to left field, bringing in two runs for Plattsburgh. Kornblau immediately followed with a single to left, forcing the Golden Knights to use their third arm of the inning. The new arm did not change much for the Cards as Roman singled up the middle to bring Kornblau home after he stole second, and Veit doubled to left to score Roman in the ensuing at bat. Kowalowski capped off the rally with his second RBI single of the inning, this time scoring two Plattsburgh runs. 

With a 10-3 lead, the Cardinals offense did not stop, adding two runs in the sixth on Kornblau and Roman singles. Leading off the top of the eighth, Messerschmitt worked the count on and smoked a low pitch down over the right field wall for his first collegiate home run. Gonzalski followed suit and did the same in the ninth, destroying a Clarkson offering to left center field, making the score 14-7, as Clarkson continued to tack on runs of their own. Roman obliged with the game sealing hit, as he singled up the middle with two outs, scoring two runs for Plattsburgh.

After a couple of runners reached in the ninth, Christian Diaz (Middletown,NY/Iona Prep) entered the game and struck out two batters , eventually inducing the game ending popout for scoreless inning of work on his line. Justin Osborn (Latham, NY/Shaker) provided a strong start for the Cards, earning his first win at Plattsburgh with six strong frames of work. 

Offensively, Kowalowski and Kornblau each picked up two hits and drove in three and two runs, respectively. Kornblau is now a video game like 16-24 through his first eight games at the plate this year, good for a .667 batting average and a 1.988 OPS. 

The team will return home for an important SUNYAC series against #16 Oswego St. this weekend at Chip Cummings Field and will travel to #6 Cortland the weekend after as they begin a tough but important string of games.