FORT MYERS, Fla. – Senior Noah Clark (Toms River, N.J. / Toms River East) of the Plattsburgh State baseball team went 4-for-6 at the plate in the Cardinals split on Wednesday against Skidmore at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic.

"This team has shown a lot of heart and character on this trip," head coach Kris Doorey said. "We have had a number of players swinging the bats well, but Noah has really been doing a lot offensively."

GAME ONE: PLATTSBURGH STATE 5, SKIDMORE 6

In the first game Clark was 2-for-2 including a double in the first down the right field line that scored senior Joe Deland (Farmingville, N.Y. / Sachem East). Clark then scored off a single from junior Rocco Cipriano (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. / Dobbs Ferry).

Skidmore scored in the second off a single and scored four more in the fourth, two runs off a single and two from Cardinal errors to take a three-run lead.

Clark had a two-run single in the fifth to score Deland and sophomore Stephen Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y. / Center Moriches) while sophomore Keller Kowalowski (Plattsburgh, N.Y. / Beekmantown) scored in the sixth to tie the game.

Skidmore scored off a double in the bottom of the sixth to take a one run advantage and in the end the win.

Junior Frank Finkbeiner (Stone Ridge, N.Y. / Rondout Valley) pitched 4 innings, gave up six hits, five runs, walked one and struck out three.

Sophomore Brantley Marion (Plattsburgh, N.Y. / Beekmantown) pitched 2 innings and scattered three hits, one run and struck out three.

"We could have easily packed it in when we behind by five in the last inning, but they kept battling," Doory said. "We worked hard to rally in game one, having the tying run thrown out at home on my over aggressiveness at third base.  I really shouldn't have sent Tom (Bowe), but that's our mentality.  We played the same exact way in the final inning of game two."
 
GAME TWO: PLATTSBURGH STATE 6, SKIDMORE 5

Skidmore had a two run lead after the third inning.

Clark scored in the fourth off a throwing error after stealing third.

Skidmore plated three more in the seventh taking a four run edge.

With bases loaded and one out the Cardinals started to rally. Junior Jon Craft (Smithtown, N.Y. / Smithtown West) scored off a balk while sophomore Kentaro Mori (Tokyo, Japan / Joto) hit a two-run single to score freshman Jack Bermingham (Monroe, N.Y. / Monroe-Woodbury) and Deland.

Clark hit a single to score sophomore Alex Follmer (Plattsburgh, N.Y. / Plattsburgh) to tie the game and junior Patrick Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y. / Center Moriches) hit a walk off single to score Clark and win the game.

Junior PJ Weeks (Bayport, N.Y. / Bayport-Blue Point) pitched 6.1 innings, scattered four hits, five runs, walked two and struck out six.

Freshman Matthew Triola (Saratoga Springs, N.Y. / Saratoga Springs) pitched 0.2 innings and gave up one hit.

"It's not very often that you play two games that end with plays at the plate.  We were on the positive side of one and the negative of the other," said Doorey.

The Cardinals are back on the diamond Thursday, March 15 to play Johns Hopkins University at noon and Alfred State College at 3 p.m.