FORT MYERS, Fla. – In its fourth and final game at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., the Plattsburgh State baseball team was in great position to finish the tournament with a of 3-1 record, but was unable to secure a ninth-inning lead against Keystone College, falling by a score of 4-3 on Tuesday morning.
The Cardinals outhit the Giants 14-6, which included a 4-for-5 day at the plate by senior
Nicholas Lupo, but left nine runners on base and couldn't seal the deal in the ninth, leading to a walk-off defeat as Plattsburgh State was the designated road team.
Freshman
Brandon Buksa got the start for Plattsburgh State and pitched well through the first eight innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and walking two before leaving in the ninth.
Much like Monday's game against Minnesota Morris, the Cardinals were the first team to get on the board, doing so in the early innings.
After singles by
Alex Rodriguez and
Chris Pescetti to start the top-half of the second inning, with one out,
Billy Rombauts grounded out to second, plating the first run of the game.
A two-out rally in the third gave Plattsburgh State a two-run lead after three consecutive singles from
Frank Buksa, T.J. Montalbano, and
Alex Rodriguez.
Keystone would cut the lead in half however in the bottom half of the third after back-to-back doubles by Dylan Corl and Louis Reyes.
The score would remain the same until the top of the fifth when the Cardinals would scratch out an unearned run after a two-out fielding error by the Giants, increasing their lead to 3-1.
Buksa retired the Giants in order in both the fifth and sixth. In the seventh, however, after surrendering a two-out walk, Chris Bzozowski smacked double down the left field line, plating Eduardo Familia and cutting the Plattsburgh lead to 3-2.
The Cardinals had first and third with one out in the top of the eighth inning, but that threat was put to bed after
Mike Vargues was picked off of first base and
Billy Rombauts stuck out.
Buksa would start the ninth inning still on the mound, but was replaced by
Mike Vargues after allowing a leadoff single to Kevin Luciano.
The Gansevoort, N.Y., native walked the first batter he faced. Then, with the Giants attempting to sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third, Plattsburgh State would commit a crucial throwing error, allowing the tying run to score and put the winning run on third base still with no outs.
Andrew Kramer would replace Vargues and get the first out of the inning after a sacrifice moved the trail runner to second base. Kramer then struck out Joe Angelucci to get the second out.
The Cardinals elected to intentionally walk Dylan Corl to load the bases, still needing to get one out to send the game to extra innings.
Louis Reyes worked out a walk, giving the Giants a walk-off victory and the Cardinals a tough defeat.
Darren Lauer pitched a complete game, earning the win for Keystone, who improve to 5-2 on the season.
The Cardinals fall back to .500 for the season at 5-5, and will now head north up to Orlando to start play in the RussMatt Invitational.
Plattsburgh State faces SUNYAC rival Fredonia State in a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon before playing a single game against the Blue Devils on Friday. Start time for game one on Thursday is scheduled for 1 p.m.
