SAUGERTIES, N.Y. – A span of 20 days had passed since Plattsburgh State baseball's ace
Scott Orr had surrendered a run to the opposition. Unfortunately, that streak was halted in an important State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) clash.
For the first time in the month of April, Orr didn't find himself as a winner on the mound as the Cardinals fell in their series opener against New Paltz by a score of 5-3 at Cantine Park on Saturday night. Plattsburgh State's record moves to 10-15 and 5-8 in league tilts with the loss.
The Hawks piled up 13 hits in the win and benefitted from a pair of solo shots by Andrew DiNardo before the starting shortstop moved to the pitcher's mound and picked up his first save of the season.
Orr worked his way through six innings and surrendered 11 hits, five runs and three walks to New Paltz while striking out three. His record dropped to 4-2 marking just his first setback since March 29.
DiNardo gave the Hawks the lead for good when he drilled a 3-1 offering from Orr beyond the fence in left field.
Two more New Paltz runs would come around to score in the home half of the third courtesy of two-out RBI singles by Mike Sparacino and Tyler Bell.
Facing a 3-0 deficit after three frames, the Cardinals wasted no time carving into it when the top half of the fourth commenced. Heading into the fourth with just one hit, the Cardinals changed that quickly when
TJ Montalbano started a stretch of three straight base knocks with a two-out single.
Freshman
Tyler Bulich stepped to the plate and hammered a triple to left center, scoring Montalbano and making matters 1-0 before
Billy Rombauts' RBI single plated Bulich to make it a one-run affair.
Bell plated the game-winning run for the Hawks in the bottom of the fifth when his RBI single scored Jake Williams.
Back-to-back one-out doubles by
Frank Buksa and
Chris Pescetti made it a one-run game once again. Pescetti, a senior out of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., collected the Cardinals' third RBI when his two bagger plated Buksa in the top of the seventh.
The only New Paltz run that scored without two outs came in the home half of the seventh when DiNardo launched another round tripper over the left field fence to lead off the inning.
Plattsburgh State started the top of the ninth strongly when
Mike Vargues ripped a double down the right field line, but that was the only hit the designated visiting team registered in the frame as DiNardo sewed up the Hawks' win by fanning Bulich with runners on first and third.
Brett Wisner picked up the win for New Paltz as he fired five innings of four-hit, two-run baseball. In order to secure the victory, the Hawks sent six different arms out to the mound.
No Cardinal recorded multiple hits, but Montalbano reached base three times with one hit and a pair of walks. DiNardo and Bell each collected three hits and two RBIs for the Hawks.
Plattsburgh State will close out its three-game series with New Paltz on Sunday with a doubleheader. The first pitch of the twinbill is scheduled for noon.
