PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - The Plattsburgh State baseball team concluded its 2023 season on Senior Day with a doubleheader sweep over Fredonia in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action. Plattsburgh dominated the Fredonia batters on the mound, holding them scoreless on the day in 16 innings of work, also earning the series sweep with the two wins.
The Cardinals also honored six seniors for their commitment and contributions to the program, as the group was honored in between games: Conner Gonzalski (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse), Daniel Grant (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle), Ryan Nista (East Greenbush, N.Y./Columbia), Christian Ott (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston), Mike Rasquin (Garden City, N.Y/Garden City), and Andrew Veit (Yaphank, N..Y./Bellport).
Chris Santic (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) finished one of the best pitching campaigns in program history with eight shutout innings on Saturday, allowing just six hits and one walk, while striking out a career-high eight batters. Nista finished the game behind Santic in game one and earned his first career save with an inning of work. In game two, Veit tossed 6.1 scoreless innings to complete his college career, allowing just two hits and striking out four batters, earning the win, with Nista finishing the game by working 2/3 of an inning. Offensively, Jack Defayette (Rotterdam, N.Y./Schalmont) led the way with multi-hit outings in both games, grabbing four total hits on the day.
Alex Kornblau (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane) set the single-season program record for hit-by-pitches, as he was hit twice in game two to up his season total to 15, besting the previous record of Billy Rombauts who was hit 13 times in 2015. Nick Cergol (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) tied the single-game program record for hit-by-pitches, as he was hit three times in game two on Saturday.
Plattsburgh finishes their season at 15-20 and 7-11 in conference play, missing out on the playoffs and finishing in fifth place. The Fredonia Blue Devils concluded 2023 with a 6-28 record and a 1-17 conference mark.
Game Two: Plattsburgh 13, Fredonia 0 (7 innings)
In game two, Veit continued the great pitching for the Cards, as held the Blue Devils hitless over his first five innings of work. Despite just eight hits, Plattsburgh was able to score 13 runs as the Blue Devil staff hit seven batters and walked eight people to give the Cardinals plenty of base runners.
Defayette concluded his 2023 season with his third straight multi-hit game, as he was also hit once, drove in a run, and scored twice. Angel Espinal (New York, N.Y./East Side Community) came off the bench to pick up his first two hits of the season, doubling down the right field line and singling, as he drove in two runs and scored once. Joey Di Rocco (Congers, N.Y./Clarkstown South) had a hit and two walks as he scored three times and drove in a run and Matt Blair (Elma, N.Y./Iroquois) drove in two runs for Plattsburgh.
The Cards jumped on the board in the first as Defayette reach on an infield hit to score a run, and two more came to score on the play after an errant throw attempting to get Defayette at first. The 3-0 lead held until the third, when two runs scored on another error, pushing the lead to 5-0.
In the fifth inning, the Cardinal offense exploded as they batted around and scored eight runs, in what would eventually enact the run rule through seven innings. Espinal started the scoring in the inning as he drove in a run with an RBI double down the right-field line, which was closely followed by an RBI walk from Cremin and sac flies from Gonzalski and Cergol. A Di Rocco RBI walk added another run and Blair then drove in two with a single up the middle. Espinal capped the eight-run frame, as the catcher singled to center, scoring Di Rocco and putting the Cards up 13-0.
Still without a hit, Fredonia finally got one through for a single to left to start the top of the sixth from the bat of Garrett Stuckey. Another singled followed but Veit was able to work out of the jam, inducing two flyouts and striking out the final batter of the inning to escape the threat. Veit retired the first batter of the seventh and was then removed to a standing ovation as Nista stepped on the mound to finish the game for Plattsburgh. After allowing a double, Nista struck out the next two batters, finishing his college career with a 13-0 win for Plattsburgh.
Nathaniel Lockwood took the loss for Fredonia, giving up just one earned run while Mitch Koller had a pinch-hit double for the Blue Devils.