Potsdam, NY – Some errors around the diamond put the Clarkson University Baseball team in an early hole to Plattsburgh State, and though the Golden Knights put up eight runs in the sixth inning, the effort was not enough in a 14-11 defeat against the Cardinals on Tuesday afternoon at Jack Phillips Stadium.

The Golden Knights saw their record fall to 5-11 overall while Plattsburgh improved to 5-13. Clarkson is back in Liberty League action this weekend when the team heads to the University of Rochester for a three-game series.

Clarkson found itself down two runs in the top of the second when Joey DiRocco and Nick Cergol each delivered run-scoring singles, but the Knights rallied with three in the bottom half of the inning. Freshman catcher Joe Figliolino ripped a two-run double to left-center to score a pair and then came around on a Kent Wilson single to give Clarkson a 3-2 lead. Plattsburgh responded with two runs in the top of the third and then put up a seven-spot in the fourth, despite getting just four hits in the inning. Nick Cergol doubled in a run, Alex Kornblau plated two with a single, and Matt Blair also singled home a run, but three more runs came in on sacrifice flies, including two on one play to deep center when the ball was dropped. The Cardinals also picked up a run in the fifth on a Kyle Cremin single, putting the tally at 12-3.

Clarkson made some changes in the bottom half of the sixth inning, sending up four straight pinch-hitters, and the tactic worked as each reached base and later came around to score. Daniel Corcoran reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on an error as the first run of the frame came across. Aidan Kuefner then doubled in a run to put the score at 12-5, and both Sean Eddington and CJ Cartier drove in two to get the Knights within three (12-9). A passed ball allowed another run to score for Clarkson, and a dropped third strike and short throw to first helped push another run across, putting the Knights down by just a run through six innings.

That, however, would be all the scoring for Clarkson, and Plattsburgh gave itself a little cushion with runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Andrew Veit hit a sac fly in the seventh, and Cremin delivered an RBI single in the eighth for the final runs.

Figliolino finished 3-for-4 in the game, scoring twice and driving in two. Kent Wilson, Aiden Kuefner, Sean Eddington, CJ Cartier, and Cam Jerrett each finished with two hits for the Knights, with Eddington also scoring twice and driving in a pair.