BROCKPORT, N.Y. – Shutting down The College at Brockport's lineup for a second-straight day proved to be a far more difficult task for the Plattsburgh State baseball team on Sunday as the Cardinals dropped two decisions to their SUNYAC rivals by scores of 6-5 and 10-6 at Clark V. Whited Field. 

With the losses, Plattsburgh State slips to 9-13 and 4-6 in SUNYAC play while Brockport ups its mark to 13-10 and 6-7 in league tilts.

GAME ONE: The College at Brockport 6, Plattsburgh State 5
None of the Cardinals' six errors in their first contest of the day with the Golden Eagles proved more costly than their final one which caused the game-winning run to come around and score in the bottom of the seventh.

The third error of the inning charged to the Cardinals allowed the Golden Eagles to complete a three-run comeback and even the season series at one game apiece. Receiving the hard-luck loss was senior Mike Vargues (1-6) who worked 6.2 innings and gave up seven hits and six runs. Only one of those runs, though, was of the earned variety.

Vargues did himself a favor in the second inning when his run staked the Cardinals to an early 1-0 lead. The senior out of Gansevoort, N.Y., smacked a two-out double and sprinted home on an RBI single by sophomore Billy Rombauts.

That Plattsburgh State lead lasted until home half of the third when Brett Sanders sent a one-out, RBI single through the left side of the Cardinals' infield to knot matters at one.
Brockport jumped ahead for the first time in the bottom of the fourth by way of a throwing error by catcher Frank Buksa and a wild pitch from Vargues. Each one of those plays allowed one Brockport runner to touch the dish, extending the Golden Eagles' edge to 3-1.

The Cardinals' offensive outage lasted until their final set of at-bats when senior Brian Latulipe delivered what was at the time a devastating blow with one swing of the bat. Rombauts and Tyler Bulich began the top of the seventh by getting hit by pitches and a four-pitch base on balls to Jack Tolosky loaded the bases with no outs.

Latulipe, who hails from Plattsburgh, N.Y., stepped to the dish and cranked a one-out grand slam over the fence in left field to push the Cardinals back ahead 5-3.

Needing just three more outs to finish off the Golden Eagles, the Cardinals instead saw three errors derail their chances at the win. Brockport scored the game-tying and game-winning runs with two outs in the frame and Chris Davis received credit for the comeback-completing RBI.

Nick Pontari (2-2) picked up the win by throwing one inning of relief. Frank Buksa was the only Cardinals to register multiple hits as he went 2-for-4 at the plate.

GAME TWO: The College at Brockport 10, Plattsburgh State 6
For the second time in the two-game day, the Cardinals outhit the Golden Eagles – this time by a 14-12 margin – but getting those runners in was a tougher task for the visitors than the home team.

Brockport struck first by putting up a three-spot in the home half of the third and never trailed the rest of the way. Greg Ruddy plated the first score of the game with a one-out, RBI single before Wesley Burghardt brought in two more Golden Eagles with a double.

The visitors battled back in the top of the fourth when Frank Buksa and Chris Pesceti each drove in runs to make matters 3-2. Brockport's response in the home portion of the frame came by way of three hits and three more runs to push the home team's lead to 6-2.

Again it was the Cardinals' seniors who shrunk up the deficit once again. Latulipe and Pescetti each notched RBI singles in the top of the fifth to pull Plattsburgh State within two, 6-4.

Brendan Swayne pushed Brockport's lead right back to four in the home half of the fifth when his two-out, two-run single finished off a three-hit inning by the Golden Eagles and upped the score to 8-4.

Plattsburgh State pushed its final pair of runs across in the top of the eighth with RBI knocks by Latulipe and Frank Buksa. Ruddy and Sanders returned the favor once the bottom of the frame came about with run-producing strike of their own to account for the final 10-6 score.

The Cardinals had a chance to try and extend the game, but left the bases loaded in the top of the ninth. Pescetti finished with a 4-for-5 outing at the plate and knocked in a pair of runs. Latulipe went 3-for-6 with a pair of RBIs as well as a run scored.

Swayne had the biggest game for the home team, collecting four hits, three RBIs and scoring a trio of runs. Will Flynn took the loss for the Cardinals as he worked 3.1 innings and gave up five hits, two walks and six runs to drop to 1-1.

Zack Lander secured the series win for the Golden Eagles by hurling 5.1 innings and surrendering just one earned run on seven hits and three free passes.

Tuesday afternoon marks the Cardinals' home debut as they step on to Chip Cummings Field for the first time in 2015 for a SUNYAC double-dip against Oneonta State. The games will begin at 1 p.m.