AUBURNDALE, Fla. – A huge 12-run fourth inning by Suffolk University in game one was too much for the Plattsburgh State baseball team to overcome, and it might have had a carryover into game two as the Cardinals were swept by the Rams in a doubleheader at the RussMatt Invitational on Monday.
Plattsburgh State falls to 2-9 with the two losses while the sweep brings Suffolk up to 5-1 on the season.
GAME ONE: Suffolk University 18, Plattsburgh State 5The first game had the makings of an offensive slugfest as the score read 4-3 after an inning of play.
The Cardinals, who were the designated road team, knocked in four runs on six hits in the opening frame.
T.J. Montalbano,
Trevor Markey,
Ryan Whalen, and
Jon Craft all collected RBI singles off of Rams starter Tim Conroy.
Suffolk though would respond with three runs in its home first. Cardinal ace
Scott Orr retired the first two batters, but following a hit batsman and a single, served up a three-run homer to Matt Brenner.
Each pitcher would settle down for the next few innings. The Rams tied things up at 4-4 in the third after back-to-back hits; a double by Jake Frasca and single off the bat of Seth Coiley.
The senior out of Baldwinsville, N.Y., Orr was finished after three innings of work. The Cardinal bullpen would look to hold a lead after Plattsburgh State took it back in the top half of the fourth. Rombauts doubled with one out before Montalbano singled him in to re-give the Cardinals the lead at 5-4.
The bottom of the fourth would be a disaster for Plattsburgh State as 16 batters came to the plate. The Rams scored an eye popping 12 runs to turn a one-run deficit into a comfortable 16-5 lead. The highlight of the inning was a three-run triple by Brady Chant that came off of
Eric Rock.
Plattsburgh State was held hitless over the final three innings of the game. Conroy earned the win, settling down after a rough first by tossing six full innings and allowing five runs on eight hits. Transfer junior
Jon Bixby took the loss in his first outing in a Cardinal uniform.
Montalbano was the only Cardinal to register more than one hit, and finished with a pair of RBIs.
GAME TWO: Suffolk University 4, Plattsburgh State 2Sophomore
Kory Hutchins went the distance for the Cardinals in the second game, but didn't get enough help from his offense as Plattsburgh State, despite outhitting Suffolk 7-6, left six runners on base.
The Rams plated runs in the first and second innings thanks to stolen bases of second and third, respectively, that allowed the runners to score on the ensuing at bats.
Adam Calabro scored the first Cardinal run in the third. The Danbury, Conn., product singled before advancing to second and third base on a balk and a passed ball. Calabro was driven in by Montalbano, who finished 2-for-3 in game two with another two RBIs.
Montalbano got Plattsburgh State even with Suffolk in the bottom of the fifth with a single that drove in
Billy Rombauts from second base.
Hutchins didn't allow a hit between the third and fifth innings, but ran into trouble in the top of the sixth. The Rhinebeck, N.Y., native committed an error, a balk, and allowed a stolen base, along with two hits as the Rams knocked in two runs break a 2-2 tie and go up 4-2.
Plattsburgh State could only notch one hit over the final two innings as Jake Frasca and Cal Carroll combined to secure the victory for starter Kevin Sinatra.
The Cardinals will play another twin bill on Tuesday, this pair of games coming against Trinity College. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
