PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – A failed pickoff attempt in the bottom of the ninth inning allowed freshman Jon Craft to score the winning run as the Plattsburgh State baseball team put an end to its eight-game losing streak on Wednesday afternoon, defeating cross-lake rival Middlebury, 10-9.

The Cardinals pick up their fourth win of the season and are now 4-25. Middlebury falls to 8-13 on the year.

Middlebury plated three runs in the top of the third on four hits off of T.J. Montalbano, who was making his second start of the season. Max Araya singled in Phil Bernstein to score the first run of the game for the visitors. After Jason Lock doubled down the right field line to drive in Jake Turtel, Raj Palekar sent a fly ball deep enough to center field to allow Max Araya to score from third base for a sac fly.

Montalbano and Trevor Markey each singled to start the bottom of the fourth. Following an Eric Rock sacrifice bunt the set up runners on second and third with one out, the Cardinals put on the suicide squeeze with Craft up at bat. The Smithtown, N.Y., product successfully got the bunt down as Montalbano crossed the plate to get the Cardinals on the board, trailing 3-1.

The Panthers doubled their run total in the top of the fifth, thanks in large part to two errors early in the inning by second baseman Jordan Godfrey. Later that frame, Sam Graf and Spencer Tonies both singled to drive in a run, making the score 6-1.

Middlebury's starter Ben Karlin would be done after 59 pitches through four innings of work, and his successors ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth.

After retiring the first batter he faced, Colin Waters allowed back-to-back walks to Ryan Whalen and Adam Calabro before freshman Kilvio Garcia singled to right field, setting up bases loaded with one out. Montalbano was then hit by a pitch on a 3-0 count to bring in Whalen and make it 6-2. Markey followed by shooting a liner down the left field line to plate both Calabro and Garcia and bring the Plattsburgh State deficit to two runs at 6-4.

Jake Stalcup would replace Waters and got the final two outs of the fifth, keeping Middlebury in front through five innings of play. The Panthers got a run back in the top of the sixth on a Lock sacrifice fly to increase their lead to 7-4.

Plattsburgh State broke through with a five-run bottom of the sixth, taking its first lead of the day at 9-7. Freshman Frank Finkbeiner singled up the middle to start the inning before junior Ray Flynn earned a walk to close out an eight-pitch at-bat. Whalen and Cardinal reliever Fumiya Nakano knocked back-to-back singles, scoring two to bring the home squad to within a run of tying the game. With Whalen on third and Nakano on first, Nakano would be picked off, however, a throwing error by Panther first basemen Jason Lock trying to get Whalen at third allowed the freshman to score and tie the game at 7-7. Kilvio Garcia and Montalbano each picked up RBI singles to put the hosts ahead, 9-7. All in all, nine Cardinals came to bat in the frame, which featured five singles.

Nakano was effective in the seventh and eighth innings for Plattsburgh State, allowing just a one-out bunt single in the eighth. That runner would be immediately erased on a 6-4-3 double play, ending any threat for Middlebury to tie the game.

With the Cardinals clinging to a 9-7 lead in the top of the ninth, Nakano seemingly lost his command. The Hyogo, Japan native allowed a single before hitting a batter and walking the next, setting up bases loaded and no outs with the tying run on second base.

Plattsburgh State turned to senior Ross Levinson to get out of the jam, which he nearly did. Levinson struck out Alex Deutsch and got Johnny Read to line out to center, with the runner not able to tag and score from third. Unfortunately for Levinson and the Cardinals, Garrett Werner delivered a clutch bloop single to right field, scoring a pair to knot the game at 9-9. That would be all the Panthers would get, with Plattsburgh State getting its first chance of the season to win at home in walk-off fashion.

Craft began the bottom of the ninth with line drive single over the third baseman's head, and was sacrificed to second by pinch hitter Billy Rombauts. Middlebury intentionally walked Ray Flynn to set up the possibility of a double play. The Panthers then brought in lefty Dylan Takamori to face left-handed hitter Ryan Whalen. Before Whalen even saw a pitch, Takamori tried to surprise Flynn at first by throwing over in a pickoff attempt. Takamori's throw sailed over the first baseman's head, allowing Craft to score from second base and win the game for Plattsburgh State.

Levinson earns the win to improve to 1-2 on the year while Tucker Meredith takes the loss for Middlebury, dropping to 0-2.

Montalbano and Markey each went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Garcia finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and a stolen base. Whalen, after entering the game in the fifth inning, was 1-for-2 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored. Middlebury had five different players each notch two hits for the game.

Plattsburgh State will host SUNYAC foe Oneonta this weekend in a three game series. Expected rain Friday has altered the schedule, as the teams will play one game on Saturday and a doubleheader on Sunday. Saturday's game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start at Chip Cummings Field.