PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team concluded their 2024 regular season on Saturday, splitting doubleheader action with the Vermont State University (VTSU) Castleton Spartans. Alex Kornblau (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane) continued his record-breaking campaign, as he now holds the single-season record for runs and total bases, breaking the previous marks of 48 and 86. The senior has reached base safely in 34 straight games this season as well.

Kornbalu finished the day with five hits and four runs scored, while Aidan Diltz (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) had five hits as well and drove in five runs. Austin Caldwell (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) had four total hits and three RBI on the day to help a nice offensive day for the Cardinals. Dylan Bass (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) earned the win on the mound in game two, firing 5.1 solid innings, while Andrew Veit (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport) picked up his first save of the season with 3.2 scoreless innings, striking out seven batters.

The Cardinals move to 24-14 on the season and will next take on top-seeded Cortland at Cortland on Thursday, May 9, as the Red Dragons will host the double-elimination tournament. VTSU-Castleton concludes their season at 10-30.

Game One: VTSU-Castleton 7, Plattsburgh 5

A two-out error that opened up a four-run inning for the Spartans proved to be the difference in game one, as they defeated the Cardinals 7-5 in the first game of the non-conference twin-bill.

Five Cardinals put together multi-hit efforts, led by Diltz who finished 2-4 with two RBI, a double, a run scored, and a walk. Conner Gonzalski (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) was hit for the 16^th time this season, a new single-season program record, breaking the one Kornblau set last season. Gonzalski has been hit 39 times in his career, which is also a program record.

Kolby Mordecki (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) took the hard-luck loss, going two innings and allowing four unearned runs. Chris Santic (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) tossed four innings of relief allowing three runs, while Nick Goldberg (Commack, N.Y./Commack) threw three scoreless frames.

After the four-run second for Castleton, Plattsburgh responded with a run in the bottom of the frame, as Jack Defayette (Rotterdam, N.Y./Schalmont) doubled home Caldwell from first.

The Spartans tacked on two runs in the third, but the Cardinals were able to match that as Diltz doubled home a run and Caldwell singled home Diltz directly after to put the Cards back down three runs at 6-3.

In the fourth, both teams scored a run, with Diltz bringing home a run with a two-out RBI walk.

From there, Plattsburgh was the only team to muster a run, as Kyle Cremin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) doubled, moved to third on a fly ball, and then scored on a wild pitch, putting the team down 7-5.

As Goldberg put up three consecutive zeroes, Plattsburgh could manage just two hits off the Castleton bullpen, as Nicholas Griffin threw a scoreless inning and Evan Nichols then threw two scoreless frames for his first save of the season.

Austin Winchell earned the win for Castleton, throwing two innings of relief and giving up one run. Hunter Perkins was 2-5 with two RBI and Jared Maher was 3-5 with an RBI and run scored.

Game Two: Plattsburgh 12, VTSU-Castleton 3

Behind the strong pitching efforts of Bass and Veit, the Cards took down Castleton in game two, winning 12-3 over the Spartans. Bass earned his fourth win giving up just two earned runs in 5.1 innings while striking out six and Veit allowed just one hit in 3.2 innings, striking out seven. For his career, Veit has 145 strikeouts, second all-time to Gary Butler who pitched in 1962-64 and struck out 152 batters.

Diltz was 3-4 with two doubles, three runs scored, and four RBI in game two to lead the offensive attack, while Kornblau broke the runs and total bases records by going 3-5 with three runs scored and an RBI. Caldwell had two hits and two RBI in game two, while Daniel Novelli (Maracy, Venezuela/Cypress Creek(Fla.)) was 1-2 with two walks and two runs scored.

After a Spartan run in the first inning, the Cards immediately responded to take the lead, as they loaded the bases to start the game and Diltz doubled home two runs. Another came in the second for Plattsburgh on a passed ball, giving them a 3-1 lead through two innings.
Plattsburgh extended their lead in the fifth inning, with a Caldwell RBI single to score Diltz who walked and stole second base.

Castleton finally got to Bass for two runs in the sixth, bringing them back within a run, but the Cards put any chances of a comeback to rest, as Veit entered to shut down the rally and the offense scored four in the bottom of the frame.

Kornblau brought home the first run of the inning with an RBI single up the middle, and Diltz brought him home with a single to left and Novelli scored on the same play thanks to a throwing error from left field. In the next at-bat, Caldwell smoked a double to dead center, plating Diltz and putting Plattsburgh up 8-5.

As Veit dealt on the mound, the Cardinals offense went back to work in the eighth inning with four runs, thanks to RBI hits from Novelli, Diltz, and Ben Catrambone (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna).

Veit struck out the first two batters of the ninth before giving up his first hit of the game, and then struck out the next batter, earning his first save of the year and giving Plattsburgh a 12-3 win.

Joseph Voli took the loss going five innings, allowing three earned runs, and walking five. Jackson Cardozo was 2-4 with a run scored, a walk, and two stolen bases for the Spartans.