PATCHOGUE, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team began its 2016 season Saturday on the wrong ends of 8-1 and 11-2 decisions against St Joseph's College on Long Island.

The Cardinals could only muster three hits in each game and are 0-2 to start the year. The games were also the first of the season for the Golden Eagles as they jump out to a 2-0 record.

GAME ONE: St. Joseph's (LI) 8, Plattsburgh State 1
Plattsburgh State couldn't figure out St. Joseph's starter Nick Girardi as he struck out the first eight Cardinals to start the game, six swinging and two looking.

The Cardinals would get back-to-back walks from freshman Kilvio Garcia and junior Adam Calabro with two outs in the third inning, but freshman Jordan Godfrey popped out to shortstop to eliminate the threat.

Making his first start in a Cardinal uniform, sophomore Kory Hutchins looked sharp over his first two innings of work, as he didn't allow a runner to reach base.

The bottom of the third gave the Rhinebeck, N.Y., product problems, though. After a leadoff single by Mike Griffo, James Terry would work a walk. Ryan Walsh reached base on a bunt single, setting up bases loaded with none out.

The Golden Eagles' Anthony Bonilla would deliver the biggest blow of the game to Plattsburgh State – a triple to center field – giving St. Joseph's a 3-0 lead. Bonilla scored following a wild pitch to the next batter, making it 4-0. Hutchins settled down and retired the side to keep it that score after three innings of play.

Plattsburgh State had a great chance to get some runs back in the top of the fourth after T.J. Montalbano walked and moved to second base after a passed ball. Montalbano remained at second after an infield single by senior starting catcher Alex Rodriguez, the first hit of the season for Plattsburgh State. Montalbano and Rodriguez each moved up a base after a groundout freshman Frank Finkbeiner. The Cardinals remained off the board though after Ray Flynn struck out to end the inning.

St. Joseph's got its second big inning of the game in its home sixth. Nick Girardi double to start the inning, and then was plated by way of a Brendan Sullivan single through the left side, giving the Golden Eagles a 5-0 lead. After a walk, St. Joseph's sent in two pinch runners, whom then executed a double steal. Joseph Lynn doubled in a pair, upping the lead to 7-0 and spelling the end of Hutchins' debut.

Hutchins was relieved by freshman Matt Fox, who allowed just one hit in getting the Cardinals through the inning.

Plattsburgh State loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with one out, and got a sacrifice fly from Calabro, scoring Flynn. That's all the Cardinals would get as they drop their first game of the season, 8-1.

GAME TWO: St. Joseph's (LI) 11, Plattsburgh State 2
The Cardinals' senior ace Scott Orr got the start in the back end of the twin bill, but he wasn't sharp in his 2016 debut. The Baldwinsville, N.Y., native allowed 11 runs, eight earned, on 13 hits. Orr wasn't helped out that much from his defense as Plattsburgh State committed four errors in the game.

Trailing 2-0 heading to the top of the fourth, the middle of the Plattsburgh State lineup would produce. T.J. Montalbano singled up the middle with one out. The Dix Hills, N.Y., product would then come all the way around to score after Alex Rodriguez doubled and advanced to third on the throw home. Following a Billy Rombauts hit by pitch, Frank Finkbeiner grounded into a double play, preventing the Cardinals from tying or potentially taking the lead.

St. Joseph's packed in nine runs between its fourth and sixth innings, highlighted by a Joseph Lynn two-run homer in the home fifth that gave the Golden Eagles a 7-1 lead.

Plattsburgh State scratched out an unearned run in the next half inning, but four more runs from St. Joseph's gave it a commanding 11-2 lead that stood to be the final score.

Adam Calabro was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored while Montalbano finished 1-for-3 with an RBI.

The Cardinals will head south to Myrtle Beach, S.C. next week, where they will be sure to find some warmer weather. There, while playing at the Ripken Experience, Plattsburgh State will face four different opponents. First up is a Thursday night affair with the University of Mary Washington, whom the Cardinals played a doubleheader with on the road last season. The single game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.