Box Score OSWEGO, N.Y. – For the second time in as many days, the Plattsburgh State baseball team used a late-inning rally to force extra innings before ultimately taking down Oswego State 9-6 at the Laker Baseball Field on Saturday afternoon.
With a series win during the final regular-season SUNYAC engagement between both squads, the Cardinals improve to 12-21 and 7-11 in conference bouts. Oswego State falls to 19-10 and 10-8 in league play.
Through the first eight innings of play, Plattsburgh State had only managed five hits against Oswego State starter Ryan Brinkman, but once the junior stepped off the hill the Cardinals feasted on the Lakers' bullpen.
Oswego State tacked on its first run of the game in the second as Michael Mascari hit a sacrifice fly to center. The Lakers' edge grew to 2-0 in the home portion of the fourth when Tyler Baker chipped a one-out RBI single through the right side of the Plattsburgh State infield.
Still without a hit, the Cardinals stepped to the plate in the top of the fifth and cut the Lakers' lead in two even though the ball never exited the infield. With runners on the corners and one out, Luke Weaver swiped second base which allowed Yuya Osawa to make matters 2-1 as he ran home from third.
The first Plattsburgh State hit of the tilt came off the bat of sophomore Jon Repetto. After the second Plattsburgh State out in the fifth, Repetto smacked an RBI single up the middle to score Weaver and tie things at two.
It didn't take long, however, for the Lakers to regain the lead. Mascari and Mike McMullen each registered an RBI single in the home half of the fifth to put the home team up 4-2.
Back-to-back one-out Oswego State doubles in the bottom of the seventh allowed the home team to up its advantage to 5-2 before the Cardinals went to work.
Leadoff hitter Brian Latulipe began the Plattsburgh State ninth by laying down a bunt single. Oswego State relief arm Pat Brown would record one out before singles by Nick Lupo and Chris Pescetti helped the Cardinals move to within 5-3.
Brown gave way to Ryan Donovan, who gave up the fourth Plattsburgh State run when Lupo came home on a wild pitch by the senior right-hander. After Osawa struck for a single, the Cardinals saw Zach Hieb ground out. Down to their last out, Weaver stepped to the dish and smashed a two-run triple to left field to put the visitors in front 6-5.
Scott Orr retired the first two Oswego State batters he faced in the ninth, but a walk, a single and a wild pitch allowed the Lakers to draw even and ensure at least 10 innings of baseball.
In order to secure the win, the Cardinals just needed to rely on the shoddy accuracy of the Lakers' relief arms. Plattsburgh State amassed three runs in the tenth and didn't see a ball leave the infield as Latulipe picked up the only hit of the frame - an infield single. Mike Vargues was credited with the game-winning RBI as the junior took a bases-loaded walk to break the 6-6 tie. Osawa drew another bases-loaded walk before the Cardinals tacked on their third run of the frame on the second Laker error of the day.
Osawa sat the Lakers down in order in the bottom of the tenth to preserve the victory. The Tokyo, Japan, product was on the receiving end of his first win as a Cardinal and moves to 1-1 in 2014. Cody LaFlamme (0-1) took the loss for the Lakers.
Latulipe, Pescetti, Repetto and Weaver each chipped in two of the Cardinals' 11 total hits. The quartet combined for five of the six Plattsburgh State RBIs.
With its 2014 SUNYAC schedule in the books, the Cardinals return to Chip Cummings Field on Monday afternoon to host Norwich University. The non-conference game is scheduled to begin at 4:15 p.m.
