ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – In search of their first 2015 SUNYAC win on New York soil, the Plattsburgh State baseball team instead saw its hopes dashed by grounding into four double plays which negated a pair of good games at the dish for the Cardinals against Oswego State. 

Plattsburgh State slips to 7-11 and 2-3 in SUNYAC play while the Lakers improve to 12-4 and 6-0 in league play. Both games were played at Honey Field on the campus of Bard College.

GAME ONE: Oswego State 4, Plattsburgh State 0 (7 inn.)
Even though the Cardinals outhit the Lakers by an 8-7 margin, they saw their chances at scoring runs go by the wayside by hitting into three double plays in their second loss of the season to their SUNYAC rivals.

Two of the Lakers' seven hits came in the first frame and both of those base knocks led to some early scoring. Mike Vargues began the game by hitting Oswego State's first batter and issuing his only walk of the game to the second man up for the Lakers.

Myles Kutscher pushed the eventual game-winning run across when his one-out RBI single plated Dan Saccocio later in the frame. Jordan Giller added one of the three insurance runs shortly thereafter when his two-bagger scored Wes Randall.

The other two Oswego State scores came in a third inning where the Cardinals committed a pair of errors. Vargues didn't escape the frame before giving up a one-out run as well as a two-out RBI double by Kyle Liner.

Plattsburgh State first solid scoring opportunity came in the third when Nick Lupo blasted a two-out triple to right field. The senior was stranded just 90 feet away from home, though, when Brian Latulipe fouled out to first base.

It looked as though the Cardinals' luck would change in the bottom of the sixth as Lupo, Frank Buksa and TJ Montalbano each registered singles to load the bases with one out. That rally came to a screeching halt, however, when Chris Pescetti grounded into a 1-2-3 double play to end the frame.

Vargues tossed a complete game and was only charged for three earned runs. The Gansevoort, N.Y., product fanned four and threw 102 pitches. His Oswego State counterpart, Miles Kelly, countered with a complete-game effort of his own. The Laker struck out six and did not issue a walk.

Lupo, Buksa and Montalbano each went 2-for-3 for the Cardinals while Kutscher and Giller combined to go 4-for-8 at the dish with three RBIs.

GAME TWO: Oswego State 8, Plattsburgh State 4 (9 inn.)
Freshman Brandon Buksa shook off a shaky start on the hill and wound up holding the Lakers in check for the majority of the game, but a late-inning charge by the designated visiting team upstaged the Cardinals in the rubber game.

Once again, the Cardinals had the Lakers beat in the hits department – doubling them up 14-7 – but couldn't get over the hump.

Kutscher staked the Lakers to an early 1-0 lead when his sacrifice fly in the first scored Saccocio, but Montalbano came up with some timely hitting of his own to give the Cardinals their first lead of the series. The sophomore out of Dix Hills, N.Y., had RBI singles in the third and the fifth to put Plattsburgh State up 2-1.

The Cardinals' largest lead of the series came when Pescetti reached on a fielder's choice. In an attempt to finish off yet another double play, the Lakers threw the ball away which allowed Latulipe to score to make matters 3-1.

Oswego State roared back to tie things up in the sixth when Kutscher and Eric Hamilton each drilled RBI doubles to left-center field. Brandon Buksa quieted the Lakers' bats after that, though, by inducing a pair of flyouts and a groundout to end the threat.

The final third of the game provided the majority of the Lakers' offense and Kutscher was an integral figure in completing the Lakers' comeback. His two-out, bases-clearing double made the score 6-3 and Oswego State tacked on one more run in the eighth and ninth innings to close out their scoring.

Plattsburgh State put a scare into their SUNYAC rivals in the bottom of the ninth when Lupo, Latulipe, Frank Buksa and Montalbano each reached before an out was recorded. Frank Buksa's RBI single scored Lupo, but any plans for a dramatic comeback were squashed when Pescetti grounded into another double play.

Latulipe, Frank Buksa and Montalbano each went 3-for-5 at the dish and combined to drive in three runs. Kutscher finished his day with a 2-for-3 game in the batter's box and amassed six RBIs.

Tim Cronin earned the win by firing five innings and giving up eight hits and one earned run. Andrew Kramer took the hard-luck loss for the Cardinals and fell to 2-2. He worked 1.2 innings and gave up three runs.

Another set of SUNYAC games is in store for the Cardinals this upcoming weekend when Plattsburgh State is scheduled to host Oneonta State. The first game of the three-game set is slated to begin at 3 p.m. on Friday from Chip Cummings Field.