FREDONIA, N.Y. – Senior
Scott Orr went the distance for the second straight game and fourth time this season, but he would be outdueled by Fredonia's Zachary Jordan on Friday afternoon as the Blue Devils moved past the Cardinals by a 4-2 count in the first game of a three-game SUNYAC set at Ludwig Field.
The setback ends Plattsburgh State's two game winning streak, whose record now sits at 6-28 and 2-14 in conference games. Fredonia, who needs to sweep the Cardinals this weekend and get help from Brockport to make it into the SUNYAC playoffs, gets back to the .500 mark at 18-18 and is 7-9 in conference.
Orr closed out his Plattsburgh State career on Friday by surrendering four runs, all earned on 10 hits, walking one and striking out one.
Neither side could score over the first three innings of play, though Plattsburgh State produced the best chance in the top of the first.
Jon Craft and
Trevor Markey each singled with one out, but both were left out to dry after
Ray Flynn popped out and
Adam Calabro grounded out.
Fredonia jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth after the first three Blue Devils all reached base via hit to begin the frame.
The Cardinals got the leadoff runner on base in every inning between the fourth and seventh, but only produced a run in two of those innings.
T.J. Montalbano and Craft began the sixth by singling. After Markey hit into fielder's choice in which Montalbano was thrown out at home trying to score, Flynn sacrifice bunted Craft home from third to cut the Blue Devils' lead in half at 2-1.
Fredonia though came back with two more runs in the bottom half of the sixth to increase the lead to 4-1. Quinn Danahy produced the biggest knock of the game; an RBI triple to the right center field gap that gave the Blue Devils their third run. Danahy would then score on a dropped ball hit to right field.
Looking to inch closer, Plattsburgh State did just that in the top of the seventh. With a runner on third and two outs, senior
Eric Rock clubbed a triple over the center fielder's head to make it 4-2. The triple was the first of the season by any Cardinal hitter.
After putting up a run in both the sixth and seventh innings, the Cardinal offense was shut down by Jordan over the final two innings. The senior did not allow a base runner in the eighth or ninth and struck out four Cardinals in that stretch, including the side in the ninth.
Craft finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Calabro and Montalbano each went 1-for-4. All of the damage by Fredonia was done by Danahy (4-for-4, 2 RBI) and Dan Cecilia (2-for-3, 2 RBI).
The Cardinals and Blue Devils will wrap up their series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
