Plattsburgh, N.Y. - The Plattsburgh State baseball team earned two wins on Saturday as they defeated SUNY Canton 23-5 and 4-3 to move to 8-6 on the year. The offense erupted for 22 hits and 23 runs in game one, as the scored all of those runs in their final five innings at the plate, while the pitching staff turned in a strong effort in game two to help the team to the 4-3 win. The team earned the series sweep, after have also defeated the 'Roos on Friday afternoon. 

Steve Messerschmitt (Fishkill, NY/Carmel), Kyle Cremin (Yorktown Heights, NY/Kennedy Catholic), and Conner Gonzalski (Cicreo, NY/Cicero North Syracuse) each had three hits in the game one win, combined for seven RBIs between the three of them. Cremin followed up his game one performance with two more hits in game two of the day, while also scoring a run and drawing a walk. 

Game One: Plattsburgh 23, Canton 5

After a scoreless game through three innings, it was Canton who was the first team to get on the board, as Zach Miner blasted a home run to right-center to put his team up one. The Cardinals bats responded, however, with six runs in the bottom of the inning, all with two outs. Jacob Hutton (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) and Gonzalski each drove in a run in the frame, while Christian Lent (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) tripled in two as well. The offense also got two runs off of wild pitches, as they took a 6-1 lead into the top of the fifth. 

After the 'Roos had a response of their own with three runs in the top half of the fifth, Plattsburgh laid any thoughts of a series rubber-match to waste with nine-run inning to put the game out of reach. Gonzalski started off the scoring in the inning, singling home two runs which was eventually followed by a Messerschmitt double that unloaded the bases. Nolan De Melfi (Shirley, NY/William Floyd) singled home Messerschmitt and Hutton once again came up with a run scoring single, this time plating two just before the end of the frame, as the Cards now held a 15-4 lead.

Plattsburgh added three runs in the sixth, four in the seventh, and one in the eighth to net their second highest run total of the season. Lucas DiGiovanni (Huntington, NY/Elwood-John Glenn) picked up his first two career hits, each singles that both drove in a run.

Peter Gregory (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) earned win number two with five strong frames, allowing three earned runs while striking out nine Canton batters. Justin Osborn (Latham, NY/Shaker) tossed 1.2 scoreless frames, while Ryan Nista (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia) and Tyler Kohn (Ronkonkoma, NY/Colonie Central) each threw a strong inning to finish the day for the Cards. 

Game One: Plattsburgh 4, Canton 3

A Christian Ott (Kingston, NY/Kingston) walk-off walk gave the Cardinals a dramatic series sweep on Saturday evening, as the team twice rallied to break ties in the late innings. 

The second game of the twinbill at Chip Cummings Field was much different than the first, as it was very much a pitcher's duel early on. Andrew Veit (Yaphank, NY/Bellport) battled Zach Miner through five innings, as the junior dual-threat tossed five innings, allowing zero earned runs while striking out five and surrendering four hits. 

After 23 hits in the first game, the Cardinal offense could only manage six in game two, but used other methods to score runs in this one. The Cards took an early lead in the third and scored their first run thanks to an RBI HBP from Francsico Geraci (Bayport, NY/Bayport-Blue Point) plating Cremin. In the fourth, the team added another run as Lent brought in a runner with a sacrifice fly to left. 

Holding a 2-0 lead in the fifth, Canton took advantage of some shoddy Plattsburgh defense to score two runs and tie the game. In the bottom of the sixth, Ott reached second base with a single to center and was sacrificed over to second. With one out, Mike Rasquin (Garden City, NY/Garden City) had a sure infield hit, but the 'Roos' third baseman threw the ball away and down the right field line, allowing a run to score. 

Canton had a response once more, however, once again capitalizing on Cardinal errors to score a run in the seventh. The team put runners on the corners in the same frame with one out, but Chris Santic (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland) entered and struck out the first batter he faced and then induced a groundout to escape the inning with the game still tied. In the seventh, Gonzalski drew a one-out walk and Messerschmitt followed with a single. After a pitching change, Geraci was intentionally walked after the pitcher fell down in the count, setting the stage for the exciting walk-off walk. Santic earned the win with two-third scoreless innings, his first of the season.