WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Kicking off their slate of SUNYAC games in the sunny locale of Florida, the Cardinals (3-8, 1-1 SUNYAC) split their first two conference games of 2013 against Fredonia State (2-2, 1-1 SUNYAC) at the RussMatt Invitational on Friday.

GAME ONE: Fredonia State 5, Plattsburgh State 3 (9 inn.)
The two, three and four hitters went 6-for-13, but the rest of the Plattsburgh State lineup went just 2-for-23, spoiling a fine outing for Kyle Kelly as the Cardinals dropped their 2013 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) opener to Fredonia State 5-3.

Mike Mulvihill staked the Cardinals to an early 1-0 lead when he blasted a single into the outfield that scored Luke Weaver from second base in the bottom of the third inning.

If the early going were any indication, one run looked to be more than enough offense for Kelly to work with. The junior confused Fredonia State for the first five innings, sitting the first 15 batters he faced in the tilt.

The Blue Devils finally solved Kelly in the sixth inning, when Matt Casilo led off with a single before Bobbty Frantz drove him in with a one-out single that knotted things at one. Dan Fetes then contributed an RBI double to the Fredonia State cause, plating Frantz to give the visiting squad a 2-0 lead.

After another Fredonia State run in the top of the seventh, the Cardinals began chipping away at the Blue Devils' lead in their half of the frame. With the bases loaded and two outs, Mulvihill reached on an error and Jimmy Rosatio came in to score, cutting the deficit to just one.

The Cardinals would leave the bases loaded, though, and the Blue Devils added two more runs in the eighth off of Steven Corea. After Mike Doughtie was removed after loading the bases with just one out, RBI singles of the one-out and two-our variety upped the Fredonia State advantage to 5-2.

Mulvihill picked up his second RBI of the first game when his single in the ninth scored Weaver to account for the final score. The Cardinals, though, picked up three quick outs to end the game and strand two runners on the base paths.

Once again, Plattsburgh State struggled to bring runners home as the Cardinal left 13 runners on the bases during the game. Mulvihill went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs, but Kelly was handed yet another tough loss after firing another fine game.

“Kyle threw a great game, but we just weren't able to fight through things after Fredonia scored a couple of runs,” said Plattsburgh State head coach Kris Doorey. “We just have to put a full game together.”

GAME TWO: Plattsburgh State 3, Fredonia State 0 (7 inn.)
Senior pitcher Brian Burns made sure the Blue Devils wouldn't pose much of a threat from an offensive standpoint in game two. The Ellenville, N.Y., product put together another dazzling showing on the bump, allowing just five hits and one walk to Fredonia State while striking out five to improve to 1-1 in 2013.

Burns received all of the offense he would require in the bottom of the second inning when Shane Houppert bashed a deep double to the outfield that allowed John Casten to score all the way from first, making matters 1-0 Plattsburgh State once the frame had reached its conclusion.

The Cardinals chased Freonia State starter Thomas Morris from the game after striking twice more in the bottom of the third. Jimmy Rosario and Mat Chavez drilled consecutive singles to begin the frame before Luke Weaver made it three hits in a row with an RBI single that plated Rosario.

Chavez darted home after Fredonia State backstop Brian Sheehan allowed one of Morris' offerings to go past him, accounting for the final score.

The only real scoring threat the Blue Devils mounted was in the second inning when Brian Lowe led off the frame with a triple before Brian Latulipe threw the first baseman out at home on a fielder's choice play.

A pair of two-out errors by Plattsburgh State's infield in the fourth allowed two additional Fredonia State runners to reach before JD Springer recorded the final out in the frame by snagging a screaming liner at second base.

“Brian was awesome for us,” stated Doorey. “He was dominant for the most part and he did a good job to get ahead in the court early.”

Chavez, Mulvihill, Rosario and Weaver each went 1-for-3 during the tilt while Chavez and Weaver each collected an RBI. Houppert finished the game 1-for-2 at the plate.

The Cardinals will conclude their week-long stay in the Sunshine State with one more SUNYAC tilt against the Blue Devils. The first pitch is scheduled to be issued at noon on Saturday.