Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team won both games, 9-0 and 4-2, in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader at Chip Cummings Field on Saturday. The Cardinals, now winners in five of their last six games, improve to 13-20 overall and finish at 5-13 in the league, while the Blue Devils fall to 16-20 and 3-15. Plattsburgh State completes the season sweep of Fredonia for the first time since 2011.
In the opener, Plattsburgh State freshman Kentaro Mori (Tokyo, Japan/Joto) went 3-for-3 with a three-run double, a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored, while senior Ray Flynn (Bethpage, N.Y./Plainedge) went 2-for-3 with a two-run double and a single. Freshman Alex Follmer (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and senior Billy Rombauts (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip/Erskine) doubled home a run and was hit by a pitch. Freshman Stephen Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches) had an RBI single, a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored. Sophomore Ryan Whalen (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) earned his third win of the season after three hits allowed in five scoreless innings. Junior Jacob Stein (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore/Suffolk County CC) and freshman Justin Adams (Valhalla, N.Y./Westlake) both tossed scoreless relief innings.
Fredonia seniors Liam Kelly and Alexio Medina both doubled and classmate Ciro Frontale and sophomore Kevin Yirinec both singled, with Yirinec also walking. Senior James Krolikowski walked and stole a base and sophomore pitcher Ben Atkinson took the loss after yielding five runs – three earned – on seven hits in 3.0 innings.
During the fifth inning in game one, Rombauts set the program record for career hit-by-pitches (30), passing previous record holder Donny Coolidge '11. Rombauts also holds the school mark for single-season hit-by-pitches (13), set in 2015.
Plattsburgh State scored once in the first and second innings before breaking out with a three-run third inning. Mori singled then stole second before Follmer chipped in an RBI single to right field. Flynn later ripped a two-strike double into center field for a pair of Cardinal runs to make the score 5-0. Fredonia loaded the bases in the fourth, but Whalen induced a groundball double play to preserve the shutout.
The hosts scored three more times in the fifth. With two outs, Mori laced a bases-clearing double to left field to give the Cardinals an 8-0 lead. Bryant singled up the middle to bring in freshman pinch runner Keller Kowalowski (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown Central) in the sixth for the team's ninth run.
In game two, Mori and sophomore Jon Craft (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) both went 2-for-4 with RBI singles, with Mori also walking and stealing a base. Junior Joe Deland (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East/Suffolk County CC) went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored, while freshman Santino Ycaza (Mastic, N.Y./Brentwood Sonderling) had an RBI and a run scored. Freshman Connor Lyons (Brookhaven, N.Y./Bellport) picked up his first career win after allowing two runs on five hits in 7.0 innings. Adams retired six straight batters for a two-inning save.
Kelly went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a stolen base and two runs scored for Fredonia. Junior Patrick Sheehan had an RBI triple and freshman Joseph Coene had an RBI single. Senior Zach Lyman tossed 3.0 innings in the loss.
The Blue Devils plated their first run of the day in the top of the first inning as Coene dropped in a two-out RBI single to center field. Plattsburgh State then plated all four of its runs during the second inning. With one out, the Cardinals strung together three straight hits, the latter being Craft's RBI knock to left field that scored Bryant. A Fredonia fielding error allowed Deland to come home and Mori punched an RBI single to right field to score Craft. Another Blue Devil error then allowed Ycaza to scoot home.
The visitors scored once in the third on Sheehan's two-out RBI triple to make the game 4-2. Both sides went scoreless the remainder of the game, with Fredonia having only one runner reach second base in that time.
Four Plattsburgh State seniors were recognized prior to game one as part of Senior Day: Flynn, Rombauts, Adam Calabro (Danbury, Conn./John Jay-East Fishkill) and T.J. Montalbano (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West/Jefferson CC).
With its SUNYAC slate completed, Plattsburgh State closes out the season with two non-conference games. The Cardinals host SUNY Canton on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Lefty Wilson Field as part of the Brian Mehan Be the Match game.