PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team split their State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader on Tuesday with Oswego State. Senior Tyler Kohn (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) tossed seven innings, giving up just two earned runs in the best outing of his collegiate career, while Alex Kornblau (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane) belted the 12^th homer of his career in game two for a new program record.

Kohn, who had just 18.2 innings pitched in his career coming into the games today, was outstanding, limiting a potent Oswego offense to just two earned runs while striking out six batters for his first collegiate win. Kornblau finished the day with two hits, but his final at-bat was the most noteworthy as it elevated him to the program's new home run king, as his 12^th career blast passed Pat Shaughnessy '12 who held the record for over a decade. The Cardinal senior also tied the program record for homers in a season, as his sixth blast matched Dave Waldron (2005), Joe Curcio (2009), and Pat Shaughnessy (2012) who each hit six homers in one season.

Plattsburgh State moves to 20-11 on the year and 8-6 in SUNYAC play, which is the most conference wins for the program since the 2012 season when they went 9-9 in league play. Oswego State moves to 16-12 (6-5 SUNYAC) as the Lakers and Cardinals will look for an important series win tomorrow, April 24 at noon.

Game One: Plattsburgh 9, Oswego 4

Kohn led the way for the Cardinals, helping their sixth-run first inning stand for the entire game as they defeated the Lakers for what was their second victory over Oswego in their last three meetings at the time. After the Lakers scored two in the top of the first, Plattsburgh responded with six runs in the bottom of the first and a run in the bottom of the second, as they led the rest of the way.

Kohn's seven innings of work earned him the win, scattering seven hits and walking just one intentionally, while Logan Avin (Honolulu, Hawaii/Waterford (Conn.)) threw the final two innings, allowing one run and striking out two. Aidan Diltz (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) led the offensive effort with a 2-4, 2-RBI game, also reaching on a walk, stealing a base, and doubling. Jack Defayette (Rotterdam, N.Y./Schalmont) had two hits as well, driving in one, while Adam Wein (North Rockland, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep) had a two-run triple in the first, a run scored and a walk.

Conner Gonzalski (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) tied the program record for HBP in a single game as he was hit three times. The graduate student has smashed the previous program record for HBP in a career, as he has now been hit 37 times in his career, well over the previous record of 30 by Billy Rombauts. He is right behind Kornblau for the single-season record with 14 this year, which Kornblau set in 2023 when he was hit 15 times.

The Lakers took a quick 2-0 lead as Owen Parliament doubled in Jelani Hamer and Tishawn Featherstone singled to center field to score Parliament.

Plattsburgh State had an immediate response, with Kyle Cremin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) doubled home Kornblau to cut the lead in half. After Gonzalski was hit by a pitch, Diltz doubled to left center, bringing home Cremin and tying the game. After another HBP, Defayette brought a run in with a fielder's choice, and Andrew Veit (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport) brought Diltz in the next AB with a single through the left side. The inning was capped by a Wein triple to left center, bringing home two runs and putting the Cardinals up 6-1.

The Cards would go on to add a run in the second on an RBI walk from Diltz and an errant throw in the eighth inning scored two unearned Plattsburgh runs in the bottom of the eighth, giving the Cardinals some big insurance runs.

For Kohn, after a bounce-back inning in the second, an error allowed a run to score in the third, but the senior was able to escape the frame without any more issues. The senior posted 1-2-3 innings in the fourth, sixth, and seventh innings, while he induced an inning-ending double play in the fifth inning with the bases loaded to escape a huge jam.

Avin entered in the eighth and gave up a run but worked out of jams to finish the eighth and then finish the ninth, giving the Cards the series-opening win.

For Oswego State, Nick Cody took the loss, giving up seven earned runs in just one inning of work. Matthew Drillings relieved Cody and gave up just two unearned runs in six innings of work striking out four. Hamer doubled three times for the Lakers, scoring three runs, also walking once while Daniel Winchester had two hits for Oswego State.

Game Two: Oswego 7, Plattsburgh 5

Oswego State used a five-run first inning to jump out to an early lead once again, but this time held on to earn the win and split the SUNYAC doubleheader, setting up a rubber match for Wednesday. Plattsburgh State was able to chip away, getting as close as two runs, but the Lakers were able to hold on for their sixth conference win of the year.

Diltz led the way for the offense with three hits, driving in a run, and scoring once, while Mike Rasquin (Garden City) was 2-4 with two runs scored and a walk. Gonzalksi was 2-5 with an RBI and a walk and Kornblau had his record-setting homer for the only other Plattsburgh RBI in game two.

First-year pitcher Jack Castillo (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) was excellent in relief, keeping Plattsburgh in the game with five innings of work, allowing just one run, and striking out four, while Dylan Bass (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) was charged with his first loss of the season. Justin Sargent (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) worked 1.2 innings of relief allowing one run, while Matt Edwards (Commack, N.Y./Commack) threw two scoreless innings striking out one.

The Lakers never looked back after their five-run first, highlighted by a Hamer two-run home run, as they led for the entirety of the second game on Tuesday.  Meanwhile, their starter Jai Sharma was outstanding, striking out 11 batters in five innings of work. The team also added a run on a bunt single in the fifth, as they led 6-0 through four and a half innings.

The Cards finally got on the board in the bottom of the inning, as Gonzalski doubled home Rasquin to cut the deficit back to five. In the seventh, the team added more as Diltz singled home Rasquin and a costly error from the Laker shortstop allowed two runs to score, cutting the Oswego lead to 6-4.

In the eighth, an RBI walk added a run back for Oswego State, putting them back up three runs. Kornblau followed in the bottom half with his homer on a 2-1 pitch, putting the Cards back within reach of the lead.

After a scoreless top of the ninth from Edwards, the Cards got the tying run to the plate with a one-out single, but Richie Paul got the next two batters out, earning a two-out save.