PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team clinched a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) playoff berth on Saturday, splitting a doubleheader with Brockport. The Cards also celebrated six seniors in between games honoring Eric Agan (Burnt Hills, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake), Ben Catrambone (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna), Nick Cergol (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai), Jack Defayette (Rotterdam, N.Y./Schalmont), Tyler Kohn (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North), and Chris Santic (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland).

Andrew Veit (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport) was the catalyst in the game two win for Plattsburgh, as the graduate student went the distance, throwing a complete game allowing just two earned runs over nine innings. It is the first nine-inning complete game in almost a year as Sean Malamud last went the distance in his final outing as a Cardinal on May 5, 2023.

Alex Kornblau (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane) also set the single-season home-run record for the Cardinals, blasting his seventh homer of the year in the first inning of game one. The team also tied the program record for the most conference wins in a single season (10) and now have the most wins in a single season since 2012 when they won 22 games.

The Cards move to 22-13 (10-8 SUNYAC) on the year and will close out their regular season with a game against SUNY Canton on Tuesday, April 30^th at home, after tomorrow's originally scheduled game at Canton was canceled. The Golden Eagles move to 18-15 (6-9 SUNYAC) and take on Keuka at home on Tuesday, April 30^th in their next game.

Game One: Brockport 19, Plattsburgh 2 (7 innings)

A 17-run inning for Brockport in the fourth was the difference in game two, as four Cardinal errors, seven walks, and eight hits powered the Golden Eagles to the humongous inning.

Kornblau blasted his two-run homer in the first inning, setting the new single-season program record with seven home runs this year. The senior also singled, while Mike Rasquin (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) had a single and a run scored. Santic went 3.1 innings and allowed four earned runs, taking his fourth loss of the year. Matt Edwards (Commack, N.Y./Commack) went 3.2 innings in relief surrendering one run and striking out two.

After a run scored for Brockport in the first, the Cards responded immediately, with Rasquin singling and Kornblau homering to give Plattsburgh a 2-1 lead. In the top of the second, Logan Wing tied the game, however, with an RBI groundout for the Golden Eagles.

After a scoreless third, the 17-run outburst came into play as Brockport took advantage of several Cardinal miscues to go up 19-2, which would be the final score as Justin DelVecchio cruised the rest of the way for his fourth win. The southpaw went all seven innings, struck out four and allowed just two runs for his fourth win.

Zach Eldred was 3-5 with three RBI, while four other Golden Eagles had multiple RBI on the day.

Game Two: Plattsburgh 6, Brockport 3
 
Veit led the charge in game two, picking up the Cardinals with his excellent outing and helping the team clinch their second playoff berth in three seasons under head coach Sam Quinn-Loeb.

Kyle Cremin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) was 2-4 with two RBI, while Kornblau had two hits and a run scored. Defayette had two hits including a double, while Joey Di Rocco (Congers, N.Y./Clarkstown South) had two RBI.

After a solo HR from Eldred in the first, the Cards were able to immediately tie it back up in the bottom half of the inning as Aidan Diltz (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) blooped a single to right to score Cremin with two outs.

The Golden Eagles retook the lead with an infield hit in the second, but once again Plattsburgh responded quickly, with Di Rocco singling home two runs to give the Cards the lead back.

In the fourth, an errant throw allowed a Brockport run to score, tying the game at three. As was a common theme in this game, the Cardinals quickly responded, retaking the lead in the bottom of the inning on a single from Cremin up the middle. An RBI groundout from Gonzalski then pushed across another run, giving the Cards the 5-3 lead.

After the fourth, Veit was on cruise control, finishing the game with five straight scoreless frames. Plattsburgh gave him another insurance run in the sixth, with a Cremin sacrifice fly to bring home Rasquin.

In the ninth, Veit went back out to the mound with an inflated pitch count but had no trouble, striking out a batter and inducing two line outs to end the game and give the Cards the playoff-clinching win.

Matt Helig took his first loss of the season with three innings of relief giving up three runs, while Eldred had a homer and David Belsito and Jason Mansell had two hits each.