WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. – What was at one time a 4-0 deficit for the Plattsburgh State baseball team got cut in half thanks to a two-run single by senior Nicholas Lupo in the eighth, but that was all the offense the Cardinals were able to muster as they dropped a 5-2 decision to Oswego State at Dutchess Stadium late Sunday night.

It was the opening tilt of a three-game series between the two SUNYAC rivals and Plattsburgh State saw its record dip to 7-9 and 1-2 in league bouts while the Lakers rise to 11-4 and remain undefeated in SUNYAC skirmishes with a 4-0 record.

Offense was a rare commodity for the Cardinals who amassed six hits in the nine-inning game. Both Lupo and fellow senior Chris Pescetti recorded two hits each.

Matching wits on the mound with the Lakers' Brendyn Karinchak, Plattsburgh State's Scott Orr took the hill and gave up an early run to the designated visiting team. After fanning the first batter he faced, Orr surrendered a double before Eric Hamilton slapped an RBI single up the middle to put Oswego State in front 1-0.

Karinchak was slinging strikes all night and as a result the Cardinals had a limited number of opportunities to try and take advantage. Through the first seven innings, Plattsburgh State had racked up just a trio of hits – all of which were singles.

The Lakers added to their 1-0 edge in the top of the fifth when Wes Randall drilled a one-out RBI triple to left field. Randall came around to score on another RBI single off the bat of Hamilton which made the score 3-0.

Oswego added another run in the top of the eighth which increased its lead to 4-0, but the bottom of the eighth was the site of the Cardinals' comeback bid. Pescetti and Gansevoort, N.Y., product Mike Vargues began the frame by registering back-to-back singles. Billy Rombauts moved the pair into scoring position with a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt.

With that, Lupo came up with the big hit – a two-out single – to score the Cardinals' only two runs of the game.

Hamilton finished his 4-for-5 performance at the plate in the ninth when hits third RBI single of the game upped the Lakers' advantage to 5-2.

Orr (2-1) was hit with his first loss of the year but put on a fine performance while toeing the rubber. The junior worked 8.1 innings and totaled seven strikeouts while giving up four walks and four earned runs. Karinchak fired eight innings of six-hit baseball and punched out eight batters. Mickey Putillo took over on the mound in the ninth and fired a scoreless frame to pick up the save.

The two teams will head to Honey Field on the campus of Bard College on Monday afternoon to finish off the three-game series. First pitch for the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y.