Box Score PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Senior right-hander Joe Leddy shook off a shaky start and settled into a dominant groove to lead the Plattsburgh State baseball team to a 4-1 victory over Norwich at Chip Cummings Field on Monday afternoon.
Leddy, who hails from Goshen, N.Y., tossed his fourth nine-inning complete game of 2014 and upped his record to 4-1 while lowering his ERA to 2.54. The Cardinals moved to 13-21 while the Cadets fell to 7-16.
Norwich was afforded just a pair of run-scoring opportunities against Leddy. The Cadets loaded the bases in the top of the first with a pair of hits and one of Leddy's four free passes, but Leddy navigated his way out of trouble by registering the first of his six strikeouts and inducing a double-play ball off the bat of Cody Lindell.
The Cadets picked up their only lead of the game in the top of the second. Travis Jacques and Kyle Lamorey began the frame with back-to-back singles before another walk loaded the bases yet again. After a foul flyout, LaShawn Thomas put Norwich on the board with a sacrifice fly before Lamorey was doubled off trying to advance to third.
Plattsburgh State responded during the home portion of the second. Luke Weaver began the frame with a single to center before stealing his first of three bases on the day. Senior John Casten followed with a walk and pulled off a double steal with Weaver to put both runners in scoring position.
Jon Repetto knotted the score at one when his one-out sacrifice fly allowed Weaver to score from third. With a run on the home side of the scoreboard, Leddy seemed reassured and proceeded to render the Cadets' bats almost useless for the rest of the tilt.
Junior Chris Pescetti put the Cardinals ahead for good by picking up an RBI groundout in the third which plated designated hitter Frank Buksa.
Through his final seven innings of work, Leddy allowed just three more Norwich batters to reach the base paths and retired the last 11 consecutive batters he faced in the non-conference confrontation.
The Cardinals tacked on their final pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Both Casten and junior Brian Latulipe registered RBI singles in the frame to account for the 4-1 margin.
Casten enjoyed a splendid day at the dish, as the senior went 3-for-3 with an RBI, a walk and a stolen base. Yuya Osawa was the only other Plattsburgh State player who enjoyed a multi-hit game as he finished 2-for-3 with a base on balls. Weaver scored two of the four Plattsburgh State runs.
Brian Whaley (1-3) was hit with the loss for the Cadets. He threw six innings and gave up seven of the eight Plattsburgh State hits and all four runs. Jacques went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored the lone Norwich run.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Cardinals will hit the road for the final time in 2014 as they travel to Lyndonville, Vt., to take on Lyndon State. The non-conference bout is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
